Echinacea tennesseensis ethanol tinctures harbor cytokine- and proliferation-enhancing capacities

Background—Members of the genus Echinacea are used medicinally to treat upper respiratory infections such as colds and influenza. The aim of the present investigation was to characterize the phytomedicinal properties of the American federally endangered species Echinacea tennesseensis. Methods—Fifty-percent ethanol tinctures were prepared from roots, stems, leaves, and flowers and tested separately for their ability to influence production of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-10, and TNF-α as well as proliferation by young human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) in vitro. Tincture aliquots were stored at three different temperatures (4°, −20°C, and −80°C) for 21 h before testing. At one-month post-extraction, tinctures stored at −20°C were tested again for cytokine modulation. Phytochemical analyses were performed using HPLC. Results—Fresh root, leaf, and flower tinctures stimulated PBMC proliferation. Fresh root tinctures alone stimulated IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α production. No tinctures modulated IL-2 production. Stem tinctures showed no activity. Storage temperature did not influence any outcomes. Root tinctures maintained their ability to modulate IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α production after one month of storage at −20°C. Conclusions—These results suggest E. tennesseensis harbors phytomedicinal properties that vary by plant organ, with roots demonstrating the strongest activities

Echinacea tennesseensis ethanol tinctures harbor cytokine- and proliferation-enhancing capacities

Background—Members of the genus Echinacea are used medicinally to treat upper respiratory infections such as colds and influenza. The aim of the present investigation was to characterize the phytomedicinal properties of the American federally endangered species Echinacea tennesseensis. Methods—Fifty-percent ethanol tinctures were prepared from roots, stems, leaves, and flowers and tested separately for their ability to influence production of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-10, and TNF-α as well as proliferation by young human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) in vitro. Tincture aliquots were stored at three different temperatures (4°, −20°C, and −80°C) for 21 h before testing. At one-month post-extraction, tinctures stored at −20°C were tested again for cytokine modulation. Phytochemical analyses were performed using HPLC. Results—Fresh root, leaf, and flower tinctures stimulated PBMC proliferation. Fresh root tinctures alone stimulated IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α production. No tinctures modulated IL-2 production. Stem tinctures showed no activity. Storage temperature did not influence any outcomes. Root tinctures maintained their ability to modulate IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α production after one month of storage at −20°C. Conclusions—These results suggest E. tennesseensis harbors phytomedicinal properties that vary by plant organ, with roots demonstrating the strongest activities.This is a manuscript of an article from Cytokine 46 (2009): 267, doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2009.02.007. Posted with permission.</p

Year-and-a-Half Old, Dried Echinacea Roots Retain Cytokine-Modulating Capabilities in an in vitro Human Older Adult Model of Influenza Vaccination

Alcohol tinctures prepared from aged Echinacea roots are typically taken for preventing or treating upper respiratory infections, as they are purported to stimulate immunity in this context. The effects of long-term (> 1 year) dry storage on the capabilities of Echinacea spp. roots from mature individuals to modulate cytokine production are unknown. Using an older human adult model of influenza vaccination, we collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects 6 months post-vaccination and stimulated them in vitrowith the two Type A influenza viruses contained in the trivalent 2004 - 2005 vaccine with a 50 % alcohol tincture prepared from the roots of one of seven Echinacea species: E. angustifolia, E. pallida, E. paradoxa, E. purpurea, E. sanguinea, E. simulata, and E. tennesseensis. Before being processed into extracts, all roots had been stored under dry conditions for sixteen months. Cells were cultured for 48 hours; following incubation, supernatants were collected and assayed for interleukin-2, interleukin-10, and interferon-γ production, cytokines important in the immune response to viral infection. Four species (E. angustifolia, E. purpurea, E. simulata, E. tennesseensis) augmented IL-10 production, diminished IL-2 production, and had no effect on IFN-γ production. Echinacea pallida suppressed production of all cytokines; E. paradoxa and E. sanguinea behaved similarly, although to a lesser extent. The results from these in vitro bioactivity assays indicate that dried Echinacea roots stored for sixteen months maintain cytokine-modulating capacities. Our data support and extend previous research and indicate that tinctures from different Echinacea species have different patterns of immune modulation; further, they indicate that certain species may be efficacious in the immune response to viral infection.This article is from Planta Medica 72, 13 (2006): 1207–1215, doi:10.1055/s-2006-947254.</p

Comparison between oral and intravenous fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide regime as front-line therapy in patients affected by chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: influence of biological parameters on the clinical outcome

The fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide (FC) regimen was reported to be superior to chlorambucil or fludarabine alone in terms of complete response (CR), overall response (OR) and progression-free survival (PFS) in previously untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). In the present study, we compared the efficacy and toxicity of FC administered through oral and intravenous route in 65 untreated patients affected by advanced CLL. No statistical differences were noticed between the two routes of administration in terms of OR, PFS, time to re-treatment (TTR) and overall survival (OS) of analysed patients. We also assessed the influence on the clinical outcome of the mutation status of the immunoglobulin variable region heavy chain (IgVH) gene, of the cytogenetic abnormalities and of the expression of ZAP70 and CD38 in patients' primary samples. Among the 58 evaluable patients, 31 (53%) achieved a CR and 18 (31%) a partial response. The median PFS was 35 months, median TTR was 42 months and median OS was not reached after 45 months (range, 1-161). A significantly lower OR rate was noticed in patients with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (del 17p, del 11q). In this study, high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities and unmutated IgVH genes were independent predictors of TTR. These results underline the importance of biological stratifications in front-line treatment of CLL patients. We confirm that FC is an effective regimen with mild toxicities; it could be recommended for patients with low-risk biological parameters who represent, in our experience, about 30% of the total

Oral fludarabine and cyclophosphamide as front-line chemotherapy in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The impact of biological parameters in the response duration

We tested the efficacy and safety of oral fludarabine and cyclophosphamide as front-line therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and assessed the influence of immunoglobulin variable region heavy chain (IgVH) gene mutation status, interphase cytogenetic abnormalities, and expression of ZAP-70 and CD38 on clinical outcome. Thirty-seven patients with previously untreated CLL received oral fludarabine (30 mg m(2)) and oral cyclophosphamide (250 mg m(2)) for three consecutive days every 4 weeks for six cycles. Eighteen patients had unmutated and 15 had mutated IgVH genes. Nine patients had the 'high risk' cytogenetic abnormality del(11q22.3) or del(17p13.1). Fifteen patients were ZAP-70-positive and eight patients were CD38-positive. Among the 35 valuable patients, 14 patients (40%) obtained a complete response and 13 (37%) a partial response. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 23 months and median time to re-treatment (TTR) was 38 months. A significantly lower overall response rate (43% vs. 85%, p = 0.011), a shorter PFS (22 vs. 27 months, p = 0.015), and a shorter TTR (22 vs. 40 months, p = 0.031) were noticed in the 'high risk' cytogenetic abnormalities group; TTR was also shorter in IgVH-unmutated than in IgVH-mutated patients (26 vs. 41 months, p = 0.035). Hematologic toxicity included grade IV neutropenia (ten patients) and grade III/IV anemia (three patients). Gastrointestinal toxicity was mild and no patient required hospitalization. The oral combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated regimen that, if confirmed with larger series, will be appropriate especially in patients with low risk biological parameters