Asian Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Immunostimulatory activities of Withania somnifera root extract in dexamethasone induced immunocompromised mice and in vitro model

Priyambada Kumari^a, Shanker K. Singh^b, Umesh Dimri^b, Meena Kataria^c, Sushma Ahlawat^a

^aDepartment of Biochemistry, Allahabad Agricultural Institute-Deemed University, Allahabad-211007 (U.P.) India

^bDivision of Medicine, cDivision of Biochemistry, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243 122, Bareilly, (U.P.) India

Abstract

Clitoria ternatea (Family: Fabaceae) commonly known as 'Butterfly pea', a traditional Ayurvedic medicine, has been used as memory enhancer, antistress, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing and sedative agent. The extracts of Clitoria ternatea possess a wide range of pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, antidiabetic properties. This review is an effort to explore the chemical constituents and the pharmacological study of Clitoria ternatea, which have long been in clinical use in Ayurvedic medicine.

Keywords:

Dexamethasone; immunostimulatory; lymphocyte proliferation; mice; Withania somnifera