Full Length Research Paper

Effect of traditionally designed nutraceutical on stress induced immunoglobulin changes at Antarctica

P. Bansal¹*, R. Sannd², N. Srikanth³ and G. S. Lavekar⁴

¹Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, National Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Research, Moti Bagh Road, Patiala, Punjab, India.

²National Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Research, Moti Bagh Road, Patiala, Punjab, India.

³Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, India.

⁴Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: bansal66@yahoo.com. Tel.: +91175-2228361. Fax: +91175-2212393.

Accepted 20 January, 2009

   Abstract

This study was conducted to establish the effect of a traditionally designed nutraceutical on stress related changes in selected immunoglobulin levels in the body. The nutraceutical was prepared from different potent herbs described in Ayurveda using standard operative procedures and were tested for heavy metal and microbial load. Initially, 21 subjects were selected in addition to 7 volunteers for control group who did not consume nutraceutical. Sampling was done at zero days and at fortnightly intervals. The levels of selected immunoglobulin IgG, IgA and IgM were estimated with turbidity metric immunoassay at different time intervals. The concentration of immunoglobulin IgA was 146±15.96 at zero day stage. The levels of these immunoglobulins were lower at all stages as compared to the concentration at zero day in trial group subjects whereas the concentration was significantly higher (t stat.>t critic. at p< 0.05) in control group subjects. The concentration of IgG was very high to the tune of 3091±705 at zero day stage. The level of IgG was lower in trial subjects as compared to control subjects at all stages except at the 6th week stage where it was higher in trial subjects. Concentration of immunoglobulin IgM was 80.75±30.39 (t stat.>t critic. at p< 0.05) at zero day followed by a decrease in both groups at the 2nd week, however the concentration was almost 1/3^rd in trial drug subjects as compared to the levels in control subjects followed by an abrupt increase at the 4th week. The levels increased to 106±8.94 at the 4th week stage and 115±9.35 at the 6th week stage in control subjects (even higher than at zero day) whereas the values were 46.15±11.39 and 55.38±15.34 (t stat.>t critic. at p< 0.05) at respective stages in trial drug subjects. On the whole the pattern of fall and rise in levels of IgM were similar in the control as well as treatment group subjects at all stages. Studies revealed that the components of the nutraceutical tended to exert significant (t stat.>t critic. at p< 0.05) anti-stress effect against stress related changes in immunoglobulin in the body due to the battery of stresses encountered at Antarctica.

Key words: Rasayana, immunoglobulins, Withania somnifera, Tinospora cordifolia, Chlorophytum arundinaceum, Piper longum, Prunus amygdalus, Antarctica, stress.