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Article: In vitro immunomodulatory effects of herbal products
- Article from:
- The American Surgeon
- Article date:
- October 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright The Southeastern Surgical Congress Oct 2002. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Immunosuppressive drugs have been developed from natural products such as soil and fungi, which are also the sources of some commonly used herbal products. However, the effect of herbal products on immune response has not been investigated. Because these products can affect the host immune system they can induce either rejection or tolerance after a transplant procedure. To investigate the effects of ten commonly used herbal products on transplant-related immune function we performed in vitro lymphocyte proliferation tests using phytohemagglutinin, mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) assay, and interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 production from MLC. Dong quai, ginseng, and milk thistle had nonspecific ...