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1989
Journal Article
Titel
Macrophage activation by the polysaccharide arabinogalactan isolated from plant cell cultures of Echinacea purpurea
Abstract
In this study, acidic arabinogalactan, a highly purified plysaccharide from plant cell cultures of Echinacea purpurea, with a molecular weight of 75,000, was effective in activating marcrophages to cytotoxicity against tumor cells and micro-organisms (Leishmania enriettii). Furthermore, this polysacharide induced macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interferon-beta2. Arabinogalactan did not activate B cells and did not induce T cells to produce interleuking-2, interferon-beta2 or interferon-gamma, but it did induce a slight increase in T-cell proliferation. When injected ip, this agent stimulated macrophages, a finding that may have therapeutic implications in the defense against tumors and infectious diseases. (J Natl Cancer Inst. 81: 669-675, 1989)