MOMORDICA CHARANTIA L. PLUS MELATONIN PRESENT AN EFFECTIVE IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECT TO ELIMINATED ENTEROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI AND STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE.
João Vitor Silva Ormonde, Rubian Trindade Silva Fernandes, Gabriel Triches Nunes, Edson Fredulin Scherer, Adenilda Cristina Honorio-França*, Eduardo Luzía França.
ABSTRACT
Momordica charantia L. is important plant species used for food and herbal medicines. Furthermore, melatonin hormone has also been shown to perform different actions on the cellular oxidative metabolism. This study aimed to verify the functional activity of mononuclear (MN) and polymorphonuclear PMN) phagocytes treated with Momordica charantia L. and melatonin in the presence of bacteria. Phagocytes of clinically healthy donors were exposed to stimulation of plant extract, bacteria – Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and Streptococcus pneumoniae - and the hormone melatonin. The superoxide release by phagocytes was evaluated by the method of reduction of cytochrome C. The phagocytosis and microbicidal activity was observed using the method of acridine
orange. It was revealed an increase (p<0.05) in superoxide production in groups of cells that have been treated with plant extract and incubated with bacteria. MN cells modulated by the extract showed an increase in microbicidal activity (p <0.05) for Streptococcus pneumoniae as PMN phagocytes showed increased (p<0.05) in the microbicidal activity against EPEC when modulated by the extract. The addition of the hormone melatonin caused a decrease (p<0.05) in the microbicidal activity in both cell groups. The results show that the aqueous plant extract was able to modulate MN phagocytes for pathogens of the respiratory system and PMN phagocytes for pathogens of the digestive system. The cell activation was more intense in the absence of the hormone melatonin, which demonstrated its behavior as an antioxidant in the assays. These characteristics give the Momordica charantia L. associated melatonin an effective immunomodulatory potential.
Keywords: Momordica charantia, immunomodulation, phagocytes, melatonin.
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