Research Article
Evaluation of the Effect of Hydroethanolic Root Extract and
SolventFractionsof Cyphostemma adenocaule (Steud.exA.Rich)
Descoings ex Wild & Drummond on Cell-Mediated Immune
Response and Blood Cell Count in Mice
Dehnnet Abebe ,
1
Gomathi Periasamy ,
2
Aman Karim ,
2
and Helen Bitew
2
1
Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
2
Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia
Correspondence should be addressed to Dehnnet Abebe; dehnnetabebe@gmail.com
Received 30 May 2020; Revised 8 December 2020; Accepted 27 January 2021; Published 10 February 2021
Academic Editor: C´ elia Cabral
Copyright © 2021 Dehnnet Abebe et al. is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is
properly cited.
Introduction. Cyphostemma adenocaule (Steud. ex A. Rich) Descoings ex wild & Drummond (Vitaceae) has been used in
traditional medicine for the management of various immunological and hematological disorders in different areas of Ethiopia and
the rest of the world. In Ethiopia, the plant is used for the management of enlarged spleen, rabies virus, helminthic infection, snake
bite, and various types of tumors. Objective. To evaluate the effect of hydroethanolic root extract and solvent fractions of
Cyphostemma adenocaule on cell-mediated immunity (delayed-type hypersensitivity), organ index (spleen and liver), and blood
cell count in Swiss albino mice. Materials and Methods. Acute oral toxicity test was conducted using nulliparous and nonpregnant
Swiss albino mice following OECD 425 limit test method. Delayed-type hypersensitivity model was used to evaluate the effect on
cell-mediated immunity. e experimental animals were divided into twelve groups which were sensitized and challenged with
sheep red blood cells on day 0 and day 7, respectively. Levamisole 50 mg/kg was used as stimulant control, whereas cyclo-
phosphamide 30 mg/kg was used as suppressant control. Hydroethanolic root extract (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg),
aqueous fraction (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg), and n-butanol fraction (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) were
administered for seven days. e paw volume was measured using a digital plethysmometer before challenge and 24 hours after
challenge. Blood was collected, and organs (spleen and liver) were isolated from each challenged mouse to determine blood cell
count and organ index, respectively. Results. No mortality and noticeable behavioral changes were observed among all mice
receiving hydroethanolic root extract and solvent fractions at a dose of 2000 mg/kg. Hydroethanolic root extract and solvent
fractions of Cyphostemma adenocaule showed enhancement of delayed-type hypersensitivity, organ index, and blood cell count.
Hydroethanolic root extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg showed the highest and statistically significant stimulation of delayed-type
hypersensitivity (0.123 ± 0.010) and blood cell count compared to the vehicle. Conclusion. Hydroethanolic root extract and solvent
fractions of Cyphostemma adenocaule showed a stimulatory effect on cell-mediated immunity and hematopoiesis.
1.Introduction
Alteration of the structure and functions of the immune
system leads to suppression or stimulation of the immune
response. e immune system which can be innate or
adaptive is responsible for the protection of the body from
infection and other immunological disorders [1].
e whole plant and phytoconstituents of many plants of
various taxonomic classes exhibited immunomodulatory
properties to an antigenic material that gets access to the
body of living cells. Cyphostemma adenocaule (Vitaceae
family) is an herbaceous climber widely distributed in
Ethiopia [2]. In traditional medicine, C. adenocaule has been
used for the treatment of various illnesses such as malaria,
Hindawi
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume 2021, Article ID 1838903, 6 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/1838903