Immunomodulatory activity of petroleum ether extract of flower heads of Sphaeranthus indicus Linn.

The petroleum ether extract from the flower heads of Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. was found to be effective in increasing phagocytic activity, hemagglutination antibody titer and delayed type hypersensitivity when tested in mice. Activity of the petroleum extract was tested at five different dosing levels to establish a dose-response relationship. It was found that 200 mg/kg dose was the optimum dose, and at higher doses the activity was either reduced or showed no further increase. The present study, therefore, reveals that the drug shows good promise as an immunomodulatory agent, which acts by stimulating both humoral and cellular immunity as well as phagocytic function.