www.wjpps.com 867 Joseph et al. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECT OF CNIDIUM OFFICINALE MAKINO EXTRACT IN MURINE PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES AND SPLENOCYTES Joseph dela Cruz 1 , Woo Sik Lee 2 , Kwon-Taek Yi 3 and Seong Gu Hwang 2* 1 College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College Laguna, 4031, Philippines 2 Division of Animal Life and Environmental Science, Hankyong National University, 327 Jungang-ro, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. 456-749, Korea 3 Natualendo Tech Co., Ltd., 622 Sampyung-dong, Bundang-gu, Sungnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, Korea ABSTRACT Cnidium officinale Makino (COM) called “Chun Gung” in Korea is one of the fundamental plants that have been used as a traditional medicinal plant in Asia for a long time. Current study investigates the biological effect and action mechanism of the ethanol extract from COM on the release of inflammatory mediators in murine peritoneal macrophages and splenocytes. Our results showed that COM (up to 0.40 mg/ml) dose-dependently increased splenocyte proliferation with or without mitogen stimulation. In RT-PCR analysis, COM inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators; TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4 in splenocytes and nitric oxide (NO) in LPS stimulated macrophages. On the other hand, IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ expression was significantly increased by COM treatment. Flow Cytometry Analysis (FACS) demonstrated a dose dependent increase in the T cell and B cell population after COM treatment for 24 hours. The present results indicate that COM extract showed evidences of immunomodulating activity through stimulated immune cell growth, modulating Th1/Th2 cytokine production and anti-inflammatory effect which may have potential use as an immunotherapeutic agent. WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES Volume 2, Issue 3, 867-877. Research Article ISSN 2278 – 4357 Article Received on 10 March 2013, Revised on 25 April 2013, Accepted on 28 May 2013 *Correspondence for Author: * Joseph dela Cruz College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines doc_joejoe@yahoo.com sghwang@hknu.ac.kr