The Effect of Silymarin on the Proliferating of the Activated Human T Cells in Vitro

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 MSc Student, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine AND Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor. Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 PhD Student, Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

4 PhD Student, Flow Cytometry Lab AND Department of Immunology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: The widespread use of herbal medicines, because of their protective effects on various organs, has been shown in many studies. Silymarin is a flavonolignan complex isolated from the milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn), has been clinically used for its anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. Recently, immunomodulating effects of this plant have considered by the researchers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of silymarin and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on the human T lymphocyte proliferation under the cell culture conditions.Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the healthy individuals were activated with Con A (10 μg/ml) and treated with silymarin at different concentrations (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 200 μM). Then, cells were incubated for five days at 37◦ C with 5% CO2 for proliferation assay using the carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) dye and for viability analysis using flow cytometry. We analyzed the data using the Graph pad prism (version 6) software.Findings: Silymarin had the ability to inhibit the T cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, 100 μM and 200 μM of silymarin had more inhibitory effect on T cells (P < 0.001).Conclusion: We conclude that silymarin exerts immunosuppression effects, and it could be used in therapeutic situations with fewer side effects compared with the other immunosuppressive drugs.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 32, Issue 307 - Serial Number 307
September and October 2014
Pages 1816-1823

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 September 2014
  • Revise Date:
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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