01542nas a2200205 4500008004100000245009300041210006900134260001800203300001000221490000600231520092300237653002301160653001701183653002101200653001401221653002601235100001501261700001401276856004601290 2009 eng d00aEffects of Ephedrine and Ephedra fragilis Crude Extracts on Human Peripheral Lymphocytes0 aEffects of Ephedrine and Ephedra fragilis Crude Extracts on Huma cJanuary 2010 a38-420 v13 a
Ephedra fragilis Desf. (Ephedraceae), a locally cultivated medicinal plant, is a source of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, two important alkaloids, which have long played an important pharmacological role. The present study investigated the in vitro effects of ephedrine and the Ephedra branch extract on unstimulated lymphocytes. Ephedra alkaloids were extracted from various plant parts and after phytochemical analysis, the brine shrimp lethality test was used to determine the activity of the extracts. The LC50 of the branch extract was 581.395 μg/ml, showing no statistical difference from that of ephedrine (208.203 μg/ml). The ephedrine and extract did not show toxic effects on lymphocytes but exhibited immunostimulant activity. Although ephedrine cannot be used as an immune booster, it can be used as a lead drug for further immunological research.
10acell proliferation10acytotoxicity10aEphedra fragilis10aEphedrine10aLymphocyte activation1 aAttard, E.1 aVella, K. uhttps://phcogres.com/article/2009/1/2/nil