FLOW CYTOMETRIC PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF Catharanthus roseus ON HUMAN WHOLE BLOOD

This study was carried out in order to evaluate the potentialities of variable doses of aqueous leaves extract of Catharanthus roseus (0.312 – 2.5 mg) against hepatitis B vaccine (20 µg/ml, 10 µl) antigen using flow cytometry in order to determine the total blood (lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes) counts, CD14 FITC monocyte surface marker and also measured its hemolytic activity on human whole blood. The results showed that aqueous leaves extract at higher doses (2.5 mg) along with hepatitis B vaccine antigen exhibited drastic decline in production of blood counts (monocytes and granulocytes) as well as CD14 surface marker and showed significant immunosuppressive as well as cytotoxic effect in comparison with hepatitis B vaccine and control. Furthermore, there is slightly increase in hemolytic activity at higher doses as compared to control. Hepatitis B vaccine (10 µl) used as standard for these studies. Overall, the data of Catharanthus roseus showed cytotoxic as well as immunosuppressive effect at higher doses.