Immunoregulatory Effect of Hawthorn Flavonoids on Spleen Lymphocytes in Mice

To study the immunomodulatory effect of hawthorn flavonoids on spleen lymphocytes in mice,mice were divided into blank group,levamisole group and hawthorn flavonoids treatment group(100,200,400 and 800 μg/mL). MTT method was used to detect the effect of hawthorn flavonoids on lymphocyte proliferation. ELISA method was used to detect the effect of hawthorn flavonoids on lymphocyte interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-4(IL-4),interferon-γ(IFN-γ). Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of hawthorn flavonoids on lymphocyte membrane surface markers(CD4⁺ and CD8⁺). Results showed that hawthorn flavonoids had concentration dependence on lymphocyte proliferation and lymphocyte factor secretion ranged from 100 to 400 μg/mL. The secretion of IL-6 and IFN-γ were higher than that of the blank group extremely significant(P<0.01),and the secretion of IL-4 was lower than that of the blank group extremely significant(P<0.01),and there was no statistical significance between the 400 μg/mL treatment group and levamisole group(P>0.05). The percentage of CD4⁺ CD8^- and CD4^- CD8⁺ in lymphocyte subsets had a centration-dependent promoting effect,which was higher than that in blank group and levamisole group extremely significant(P<0.01). The percentage of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in lymphocyte subsets was higher than that in blank group and levamisole group extremely significant(P<0.01),and the ratio of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in 200 μg/mL treatment group was higher than that in other concentration groups(P<0.01). Hawthorn flavone could enhance the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio of lymphocyte subpopulation by inducing lymphocyte proliferation and secretion of lymphocyte factors IL-6,IL-4 and IFN-γ ranged from 100 to 400 μg/mL,and it played an immunomodulatory role.