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Picroliv, a standardised fraction from root and rhizome of Picrorhiza kurroa, consisting of iridoid glycosides and shown to be responsible for its hepatoprotective activity, was studied for immunostimulant activity. Oral administration of Picroliv (10 mg/kg x 7 days) in mice prior to immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) resulted in a significant increase in haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titre, plaque forming cells (PFC), and delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) response to SRBC. Picroliv enhanced the non-specific immune response characterized by an increase in macrophage migration index (MMI), 14C-glucosamine uptake, phagocytosis of 14C-leucine labelled Escherichia coli, chemiluminescence of peritoneal macrophages, and higher uptake of 3H-thymidine in the lymphocytes of treated mice. It also induced a high degree of protection in golden hamsters against challenge infection with Leishmania donovani promastigotes.
Puri et al. (Tue,) studied this question.