Improving the immune system with beverages containing herbal extracts

At least ۷۰% of the population of the developing world directly rely on traditional medicine for primary health care. Functional foods containing bioactive compounds can be considered as of the immune system bossters. The aim of the present study was to produce a functional beverage containing extracts of family Brassicaceae plants (white cabbage, red cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower) to improve the immune system in female laboratory mice. For this purpose, hydroethanolic extracts were prepared from four types of cabbage, The functional beverage were prepared by combining four extracts with concentrations of ۴۰۰ and ۸۰۰ g/ml and laboratory mice were fed daily with doses of ۱ cc for ۱۵ consecutive days. Immune system was assessed by examining IgG, IFN-γ, IL-۴, IL-۱۰ and IL-۱۷ by Non-competitive ELISA method. The results of immune system evaluation showed that three factors of IgG, IL-۱۰ and IL-۱۷ in mice were increased by increasing the concentration of the extract to ۸۰۰ g/ml in the functional beverage; IgG factor increased to ۱۰.۸۱۶.۶۸ mg/ml in the control group and to ۲۷.۳۵۲۰.۸۶ mg/ml in the third group with ۸۰۰ g/ml extract concentration. The results showed that the extracts of plants of the Brassicaceae family have a high potential for use in food products with the aim of increasing the quality and nutritional value.

Keywords:

Brassicaceae plants , Plant extract , Immune system , white cabbage , red cabbage , broccoli , cauliflower