Biostatic activity of <i>Coix lacryma</i> seed extract on Toxoplasma gondii in macrophages

, Soh, C T; , Kim, S H; , Kim, K Y; , Park, H; , Chung, H T; , Kim, T U; , Jeon, S M; , Han, Y B

doi:1996.34.3.197

Korean J Parasito > Volume 34(3):1996 > Article

Original Article


Korean J Parasitol. 1996 Sep;34(3):197-206. English. Published online Sep 20, 1996. http://dx.doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1996.34.3.197
Copyright © 1996 by The Korean Society for Parasitology


Biostatic activity of Coix lacryma seed extract on Toxoplasma gondii in macrophages
C T Soh,^*¹S H Kim,¹K Y Kim,¹H Park,¹H T Chung,²T U Kim,³S M Jeon,⁴ and Y B Han⁵
¹Department of Parasitology, Wonkwang University Medical College, Korea.

Received July 03, 1996; Accepted August 28, 1996.
Abstract
Water extract of Coix lacryma seeds (Co-Ex) was separated into several components; dissolved with Tris-Cl buffer and the supernatant (WC1), ammonium sulfate treatment supernatant (WC2) and the pellet (WC3), QAE column chromatography of WC1 and the peak portions; WC4, WC5 and WC6. Murine peritoneal macrophages in DMEM containing 10% heat-inactivated FCS were infected with tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, RH strain, in vitro. By adding modulators such as Co-Ex, WC1,2,3,4,5,6 and LPS or IFN-γ for 24 hrs, toxoplasmastatic activity of macrophages was examined in relation to nitrite production. Nitrite production of macrophages was enhanced especially in the series of WC2, WC1 and the combination sample (WC1+WC2+WC3) by order, than other components or fractions (WC4, WC5, WC6) tested. Toxoplasmastatic actions such as percentage of the macrophages infected by T. gondii and fold increase of T. gondii in macrophages showed retroverse relations with the amount of nitrite production; i.e., as nitric oxide (NO) increased the phagocytic index of macrophages and the fold increase of tachyzoites in macrophages decreased. Nitrite (NO₂) production was increased by adding IFN-γ in all cases together with enhancement of biostatic effects. Through the results obtained, it is speculated that some components other than the non-proteinous and defatted components in Coix lacryma seeds may contribute to activate macrophages through induction of NO for the biostatic activity.

Figures


	Fig. 1 Coix lacryma-Jobi L. var frumentacea Makino. A. plant; B. seeds; C. seeds-peeled off.


	Fig. 2 QAE column chromatography of supernatant of Coix lacryma water extract.


	Fig. 3 Effect of Coix lacryma on the production on NO by macrophages. WC-1, Co-Ex (water extract of Coix lacryma seeds) dissolved in Tris-C1 buffer. The supernatant; WC-2, WC-1 was precipitated with ammonium sulfate. The supernatant; WC-3, pellet of WC-2, dissolved in Tris-C1. he supernatant; WC-4,5,6, peak fractions by QAE anion exchange chromatography of WC-1.

Tables


	Table 1 Nitrite production of macrophages treated with the fractions of water extracts of Coix lacryma sees extracts of 24 hours in DMEM medium in which 10% FCS was added


	Table 2 Percentage of th macrophages infected by T. gondii in 48hr treatment with modulators from Coix lacryma sees extracts


	Table 3 Intracellular proliferation of T. gondii (fold increase: FIa) after infection to macrophages for 30 minutes and incubated for 48 hrs.

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