The Immune Effects of an African Traditional Energy Tonic in In Vitro and In Vivo Models

Figure 6

Changes in levels of soluble IL-2 receptor in supernatants of PHA-stimulated (a) and PG-S. aureus-stimulated (b) PBMCs treated with doses of the traditional energy tonic (100 and 10 μg/mL) over 24 hours. In PHA stimulated samples, addition of the energy tonic significantly increased () sIL-2R levels when compared to untreated and cyclosporine suppressed samples. In PG-S. aureus-stimulated samples, the addition of the energy tonic caused a significant decrease () in sIL-2R at the highest dose tested (100 μg/mL) when compared to samples stimulated with PG-S. aureus only. Cyclosporine was more potent in reducing sIL-2R in PG-S. aureus-stimulated samples than any of the doses of the energy tonic. Samples of unstimulated and untreated PBMCs showed the significance of stimulation with either PHA or PG-S. aureus. indicates significant difference.

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