Immunomodulatory effect of a formula developed from American ginseng and Chinese jujube extracts in mice

Background: American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) and Chinese jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.) are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to enhance immune function. The present study aimed to develop one Chinese prescription, Shenzao Cha (SZC), consisting of American ginseng and Chinese jujube, and systematically investigate its immunomodulation in healthy ICR mice. Normal ICR mice received intragastric administration of SZC (1.3, 2.6, and 5.2 g raw material/kg body weight) once daily for four weeks, while a control group received the same amount of sterile water. SZC significantly increased the spleen and thymus indices and T-lymphocyte proliferation, while the T-lymphocyte proliferation in the 5.2 g/kg group was 1.4-fold higher than that in the control. Further, 1.3 g/kg SZC could markedly improve hemolytic activity by 25.2%, and 2.6 g/kg SZC increased the NK cell activity by 78.6% relative to the control. In addition, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase), that participated in modulating oxidative stress, were significantly increased in the liver, spleen, thymus, and serum, while the contents of malondialdehyde were dramatically decreased. SZC exhibited potent immunomodulatory effects on innate and adaptive immunity in healthy ICR mice, as well as potential antioxidant activity for prevention of oxidative stress, which was suggested to partly contribute to the immune enhancement.