[#2008-13] Coriolus Govind Ragupanthi et al Evaluation of widely consumed botanicals as immunological adjuvants

Evaluation of widely consumed botanicals as immunological adjuvants

Govind Ragupathi^a,∗, K. Simon Yeung^b, Ping-Chung Leung^e, Mavis Lee^e, Clara Bik San Lau^e, Andrew Vickers^d, Chandra Hood^a, Gary Deng^b, Nai-Kong Cheung^c, Barrie Cassileth^b, Philip Livingston^a

a Laboratory of Tumor Vaccinology, Melanoma and Sarcoma Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

b Integrative Medicine Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

c Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

d Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

e The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Abstract

Consistent significant adjuvant activity was observed after s.c. vaccination with the Coriolus extracts (especially PSK), a 95% ethanol extract of Astragalus and yeast beta-glucan, and (to a lesser extent) Maitake. Antibodies against KLH in all cases and against globo H in most cases were induced by these botanicals. Little or no adjuvant activity was demonstrated with H-48 or Echinacea extracts or the Astra­galus water extract. Experiments with GD3–KLH as immunogen confirmed the adjuvant activity of the Coriolus, yeast beta-glucan and Astragalus extracts. While extraction with ethanol concentrated the active ingredients in Astragalus, it had no impact on Coriolus where the 90% ethanol precipitate and solute were equally active.