Study of immunological effect of Anastatica hierochuntica (Kaff Maryam) plant Methanolic extract on albino male mice

The objective of this study was to investigate the immunological effect of Anastatica hierochuntica extract on albino male mice. The total extract of the raw herb was obtained by using methanol at three different concentrations (25, 50,100)mg/ml. Hydrocortisone used as immunosuppressant drugs (positive control). Adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, Phagocytosis and immunoglobulin (IgG) were studied with the herbal extracts and appropriate controls. Anastatica hierochuntica extract was significantly increasing IgG level when used at dose 50mg/kg (P≤0.05). It also increases significantly the phagocytosis at dose (50,100) mg/kg after 30min and in dose 50 mg/kg after 60 min (P≤0.05). In addition, there was significant inhibition in ADA activity when used plant extract at dose 100 mg/kg after 2 weeks of treatment. Hydrocortisone was found to lead a tatistically significant inhibition of phagocyosis, ADA activity, and decrease the IgG level after 2 weeks of treatment (P≤0.05). In conclusion immunomodulatory activity of Anastatica hierochuntica, related to IgG level, phagocytosis and ADA activity, is revealed during this study. The herbal extract has shown to promote the IgG level, and also the phagocytosis after 2weeks of treatment.