Taraxacum Officinale Alcoholic Extract Augments the Cell-Mediated Immune Response in Anti-Anthrax Vaccinated Sheep

Abstract

Phytotherapy used various preparations in both human and veterinary medicine over time, due to their increased bioavailability and lower costs. Taraxacum officinale of Compositae family, well-known for its therapeutic effects, abundantly grows on Romanian pastures. The research aimed to investigate its alcoholic extract’s effects on cellmediated immunity in anti-anthrax vaccinated, grazing sheep. Local Turcana ewes kept on pasture from spring to fall were sc vaccinated with R1190 attenuated anthrax strain, and blood was sampled before and 14 days after the vaccination. In vitro cell-mediated immunity was monitored employing phagocytosis and blast transformation tests in the presence of T. officinale alcoholic extract. The extract increased phagocytosis two weeks after the vaccination (p<0.001), while the blastogenic response also showed significant variations (p<0.05) over time. There was a positive effect of T. officinale extract on the cellular immunity, suggesting its stress alleviating effects in anti-anthrax vaccinated