In vitro and in vivo effects of macrophage-stimulatory polysaccharide from leaves of Perilla frutescens var. crispa

The crude polysaccharide (PFB-1) was isolated from the leaves of Perilla frutescens var. crispa by the sequential procedures with hot-water extraction, methanol reflux, and ethanol precipitation. It was further purified by anion column chromatography in order to obtain the partially purified polysaccharide (PFB-1-0). In the presence of PFB-1-0, strong cellular lysosomal enzyme activity of murine peritoneal macrophages was observed in vitro. Compared to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), its activity was relatively high. The in vitro phagocytic activity was enhanced by PFB-1-0 as the similar pattern in both gram-negative bacteria, E. coli, and gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus with a time-dependent manner. We also investigated the production of several mediators by murine peritoneal macrophages upon stimulation with PFB-1 (in vivo) or PFB-1-0 (in vitro). The levels of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were increased in the presence of PFB-1-0 in vitro. The PFB-1 stimulated the production of interleukin (IL)-6 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF) in vivo. Results suggest that the polysaccharide from P. frutescens var. crispa represents an immunopotentiator and biological response modifiers in vitro and in vivo levels.