International Journal of ChemTech Research

CODEN (USA): IJCRGG, ISSN: 0974-4290, ISSN(Online):2455-9555

Vol.10 No.5, pp 451-457, 2017

Immunomodulatory Activity of Pacar Air

(Impatiens balsamina Linn.) Herb Ethyl Acetate Fraction
in Mice
Hariyanto IH*, Inarah Fajriaty, Harianto, Ummi Kalsum

Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Tanjungpura University, Pontianak,

Indonesia

Abstract : The aim of this studyis to evaluate immunomodulatory effect of ethyl acetate
fractionof pacar air (Impatiens balsamina Linn.) in Balb/C mice. The assessment of
immunomodulatory activity on specific and nonspecific immunity were studied by
titerantibody, Delayed Type Hypersensitivity (DTH), carbon clearance test and organ index.
Ethyl AcetateFraction of Pacar Air (EAFPA)was administered orally at the dosage levels of
125 mg/kgbw and 250 mg/kgbw in Balb/C mice. In order to induce immunosuppresion in
mice, methylprednisolone is used (15 mg/kgbw, i.p), and levamisole (50 mg/kgbw, p.o) as
immunostimulating agents, and carboxymethylcellulose (1%) as normal control.Results of
present study clearly indicate that EAFPA 125 mg/kg bw and 250 mg/kg bw shows
potentiation of immunosuppressant effecton specific and nonspecific immunity.On specific
immunity, highest decrease of footpad thickness was due to 125 mg/kg bw of EAFPA(7.0026
± 2.3496) in DTH response (p<0.05) after 24 hrs challenge. Primary and secondary titer
antibody value were (5.0939 ± 0.5037) and (5.9368 ± 0.5037) respectively.Nonspesific
immunity had its carbon elimination rate lower than the normal control group with phagocytic
index values (k<1), were 0.86 and 0.74 respectively and organ index, shows a decrease in
spleen index compared to normal control group which is significant(p<0.05).EAFPA at doses
of 125 and 250 mg/kg bw hasimmunosuppressant effectwith an effective dose of 125 mg/kg
bw.
Keywords :Impatiens balsamina Linn., immunomodulator,Delayed Type Hypersensitivity,
titer antibody, carbon clearance test, organ index.

Introduction
Immunomodulator is a compound that can restore the imbalance of the immune system by stimulating
and improving immune system function.The balance of the immune system needs to be maintained to keep the
body healthy. The immune system is closely related to the presence of antibodies. Antibodies are immune
system proteinswhich are humoral form of immunoglobulin produced by B cells were fixed to the antigen1. The
immune system is a system that is very important for the body to prevent and fight various diseases 2.

The active compounds contained in the plant which has the effect of influencing the immune system in
the last decade ranging widely applied as a ''immunotherapy”, which is a method of treatment that combines
conventional treatment with immune therapy to gain maximum treatment against various diseases 3. According
to the research that has been done, one of the plants useful as immunomodulator is pacar air (Impatiens
balsamina Linn.)4. Impatiens balsamina Linn. has been widely used to treat rheumatism, isthmus, broken
HariyantoIH et al /International Journal of ChemTech Research, 2017,10(5): 451-457. 452

bones, superficial infection, inflammation of the nail, antifungal, antibacterial, antipruritic, antianaphylaxis and
antitumor activity5.The aim of this study is to evaluate immunomodulatory effect of ethyl acetate fraction of
pacar air (Impatiens balsamina Linn.) inBalb/C mice.

Experimental
Plant Material Collection and Extract Preparation

Impatiens balsaminaplantswere collected from PutriDaraNante Street, Pontianak, West Borneo.Plant

determination were performed at Biology Laboratory of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of
Tanjungpura, Pontianak.Shade dried leaves and stems were crushed and extracted with96% ethanol and
fractionated with ethyl acetate. Extracts and fractions were concentrated by vacuum distillation. Fractions were
dissolved in 1% CMC-Na and used for further study.

Animals Used

Balb/C albino mice (Approx 20 to 25 gm) were procured from GadjahMada University, Yogyakarta.

Experimental Design

Animals were divided into different groups each containing 7 animals.

Group I –Negative Control, 1% CMC-Na suspension

Group II - Standard, Levamisole, 50 mg/kg b.w, p.o
Group III - Standard, Methylprednisolone, 15 mg/kg bw, i.p
Group IV, V- EAF 125, and 250 mg/kg b.w, p.o

Specific Immunity Assay

Antigens

Sheep Red Blood Cells (SRBC) was used as antigens for specific immunity assaywhich collected from
Biofarma, Bandung, Indonesia. SRBC were washed 3-4 times with large quantity of sterile and pyrogen free
saline6.

Delay Type Hipersensitivity

Antigen Challenge
th th
On 0 day, all groups were sensitized with 0.1 ml/10 g bw of SRBC, i.p. On 6 day prior to injection, right hind
footpad thickness was measured with digital calipers. Then animals were challenged by injecting 1% SRBC
th th
(0,05 ml) into the right hind footpad. On 7 and 8 day footpad thickness was again measured. Difference
between prior and post challenge footpad thickness was reported as DTH response.

Titer Antibody Response to SRBC

th
Experimental design was done same as mentioned in Delayed typehypersensitivity model. On 5 day
before challenge, blood was withdrawn from tail vein of each animal. Blood was centrifuged, and serum was
st
separated. Serial two fold dilutions were made i.e. 50 μl of serum was added to 1 well of 96-well micro titre
plate containing 50 μl phosphate buffer saline. To this 1% SRBC (50 μl) dissolved in phosphate buffer saline
st nd
was mixed. From 1 well 50 μl of dilutedserum was added to 2 well containing 50 μl phosphate buffer saline
th
and 50μl 1% SRBC. Suchdilutions were done till 12 well. Plates were incubated at 37ºC for 1 hr. Highest
dilution that has shown visible agglutination was considered as haemagglutination antibody titre7,8.
HariyantoIH et al /International Journal of ChemTech Research, 2017,10(5): 451-457. 453

Nonspecific Immunity Assay

Antigens

Pelican carbon ink B17 was used as antigens for nonspecific immunity assay

Carbon Clearence Assay

All the animals were treated are above from day 0 to day 7. On 8th day of treatment animals of the entire
group received an intravenous injection (0,1 ml/10 g bw) of pelican carbon ink B17 suspension (inkubation at
37°C for 24 hours before used). Blood samples were collected from tail vein to bloodtube at an interval of
4;8;12;16 and 20 min after the injection of ink suspension. Amount of 20 µL of blood sample was dissolved in
2 ml of 1% acetat acid solution to lyses the erythrocytes. %transmittance of these samples was measured at 675
nm using spectrophotometer. Rate of carbon clearence and phagocytic index of treated group animals were
compared with the control group animals. The graph for absorbance versus time was plotted for each animal in
respective test groups and phagocytic index (PI) was calculated using formula:

Where KSample represent the slope of absorbance versus time curve for extract-treated sample and KControl
represent the slope of absorbance versus time curve for control.

Organ Index

On the 8th day after administration of the test substance, mice were sacrificed. Liver and spleen were
isolated and weighed. Organ index expressed per body weight of each mice and found the significance of
changes to the organ index control group.

Statistical Analysis

Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD), n=5mice in each group.Statistical analysis
was performed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). All analysis and comparison were evaluated at 5
% (P< 0.05) level was considered statistically significant.

Results and Discussion

Phytochemical Assay

Phytochemical screening showed that ethyl acetate fraction of Impatiens balsaminaextraction had more
secondary metabolite compounds. EAFPA revealed the presence of the following classes of chemical
compounds: polyphenols, flavonoid, steroid/triterpenoidandquinone.

Delayed Type Hypersensitivity

In the present investigation, SRBC induced DTH reaction was used tostudy the effect of EAFPA on cell
mediated immunity. DTH is an antigen specific and mediated by T cells rather than antibody. T cells are
required to initiate the reaction. Activation of T cells releases lymphokines, which lead to activation and
accumulation of macrophages, increases vascular permeability, induces vasodilatation, and produces
inflammation. It also boosts phagocytic activity and increases concentration of lytic enzymes for more effective
killing, ultimately results in increased footpad thickness in immunized animals. General characteristics of DTH
9,10-
are an invasion of immune cells at site of injection and induction became apparent within 24 to 72 hrs
12
.DTH response decreases after 48 hrs in all EAFPA groups and significant as compared to control
groups.Potentiation of DTH response was observed in antibodies are immune system proteins which are
humoral form of immunoglobulin produced by B cells were fixed by the antigenmethylprednisolone treated
animals (p<0.05) because it has inhibit T cells in proliferation in immune system. Levamisole, a standard
immunomodulatory drug, has shown maximum potentiation of DTH response (p<0.05). Decrease in paw edema
after 24 hrs of challenge was observed in all EAFPA treated groups when compared to control. It may be
HariyantoIH et al /International Journal of ChemTech Research, 2017,10(5): 451-457. 454

concluded that EAFPAare unable to stimulate the macrophages function to stimulate T cell for
thehypersensitivity reaction in the immunized animals. The results are showed inTable 1.

Table 1.EAFPA effect on DTH response using SRBC as an antigen in mice

Treatment Dose Δ footpad thickness (%)

(mg/kg bw) 24hrs 48hrs
Control - 21.2223 ± 2.6368 22.7875 ± 2.1223
Levamisole 50 33.5885 ± 4.5715x 27.6116 ± 3.7470x
Methylprednisolone 15 18.7344 ± 2.7802 17.0261 ± 1.2711x
EAFPA 125 25.0804 ± 5.8013y 7.0026 ± 2.3496x,y,z
y
EAFPA 250 21.2914 ± 5.5080 6.7844 ± 2.1493x,y,z

Values are expressed as mean ± SD, (n=5), Comparison of control group with all groups. x = significant
with control group (p<0,05), y = significant with levamisole group (p<0,05), z = significant with
methylprednisolone group (p<0,05).

24 hrs % Perubahan keteblan 48 hrs

% Perubahan keteblan

telapak kaki
telapak kaki

Fig. 1: Percentage of footpad thickness in 24 hrs and 48 hrs

Titer antibody response to SRBC

The reaction of an antibody and antigen can be easily detected by agglutination (clumping) of the
antigen. If the antigen is an erythrocyte the term hemagglutination is used. Agglutination tests can also be used
to measure the level of antibodies to particulate antigens. In this test, serum containing antibodies was collected
from animals of each group and serial dilutions were done in microtiter plate. Fixed number of SRBC (50 μl)
were added into each well. The maximum serum dilution that shows visible agglutination was considered as
antibody titer. Humoral immunity involves interaction of B cells with the antigen and their subsequent
proliferation and differentiation into antibody screening plasma cells. Antibody functions as the effectors of the
humoral response by binding to antigen and neutralizing it or facilitating its elimination by cross-linking to
form clusters that are readily ingested by phagocytic cells13,14(Table 2). While immunosuppressant group i.e.
Methylprednisolone treated group (15 mg/kg bw i.p), showed significant inhibition of haemagglutination titre
(5.0939 ± 0.5037) in primer and (5.8164 ± 0.4257) in secondary as compared to control group (6.298 ± 0.5037)
in primer and (6.9001 ± 0.5037) in secondary. Immunostimulation of humoral response by standard
immunomodulatory drug Levamisole has resulted in higher antibody titre (p<0.05) as compared to control
group. Mild potentiation of humoral immunity was observed in all EAFPA groups, while decrease humoral
immunity was observed in treated animals (p<0.05). Dose dependant increase in titer antibody value was
observed only with methanolic extracts.
HariyantoIH et al /International Journal of ChemTech Research, 2017,10(5): 451-457. 455

Table 2.EAFPA effect on titerantibody response using SRBC as an antigen in mice

Treatment Dose Titer antibody

(mg/kg bw) Primer Secondary
Control - 6.298 ± 0.5037z 6.9001 ± 0.5037z
Levamisole 50 6.9001 ± 0.5037x 7.5022 ± 0.5037x
x
Methylprednisolone 15 5.0939 ± 0.5037 5.8164 ± 0.4257x
EAFPA 125 5.0939 ± 0.5037x,y 5.9368 ± 0.5037x,y
x,y
EAFPA 250 5.3347 ± 0.5037 6.1776 ± 0.6864x,y

Titer Antibody Primer Titer AntibodySecondary

HA Titer Primer

HA Titer Secondary
Value

Value

Fig. 2: Primer and secondary titre antibody in mice

Carbon Clearance Assay

In carbon clearence assay, ethyl acetat fraction of Impatiens balsamina Linn. were treated with all
group showed concetration dependent phagocytic activity when compared to control group.The results of both
parameters obtained can be seen in table 2 and 3.

Table 2. Phagocytic index and the cleaence rate of carbon from the circulating blood of mice

Treatment Dose Rate Elimination Phagocytic Classification

(mg/kg bw) (Kel) Index (k)
Control - -3.746 1.00 -
Levamisole 50 -4.804 1.28 Immunostimulant
Methylprednisolone 15 -2.825 0.75 Immunosupressant
EAFPA 125 -3.206 0.86 Immunosupressant
EAFPA 250 -3.880 0.74 Immunosupressant

Table 2 shows that the rate of carbon elimination in the methylprednisolone group with phagocytic
index value was 0.75, it was lower than the normal control group, while the rate of elimination levamisole was
higher than the normal control group with phagocytic index value was 1.28. It was showed that
methylprednisolone had immunosuppressive activity and levamisole as an immunostimulant could be used as a
positive control in the test non-specific immune response to treatment group.The test results were showed
EAFPAdose 125 mg/kg bw and 250 mg/kg bw had a carbon elimination rate was lower than the normal control
group. EAFPA125 mg/kg bw and 250 mg/kg bwhad phagocytic index value was lower than the normal control
group ( k < 1 ), were 0.86 and 0.74 respectively. It can be indicated ethyl acetate fraction of Impatiens
balsamina Linn.had immunosuppressant effects on the cellular immune response in non-specific immune
system.
HariyantoIH et al /International Journal of ChemTech Research, 2017,10(5): 451-457. 456

Organ Index

Percent organ indexes of each group can be see in table 3.

Treatment Dose Organ index (%)

(mg/kg bw) Liver Spleen
Control - 4.789 ± 0.380 0.463 ± 0.031
Levamisole 50 5.075 ± 0.457 0.506 ± 0.065
Methylprednisolone 15 4.447 ± 0.418 0.365 ± 0.055*
EAFPA 125 4.579 ± 0.311 0.384 ± 0.055*
EAFPA 250 4.395 ± 0.216 0.347 ± 0.013*
Statistical analysis: * = (p<0,05) sig differences to control

Methylprednisolone and EAFPA 125 mg/kg bw and 250 mg/kg bwwere showed a decrease spleen
index compared to normal control group. The decline in organ index also were showed significant difference
(p<0.05) compared to the control and it was showed a decrease in the immune response, particularly the
nonspecific innate immune response.Exposure spleen by a foreign substance was increased the activity of the
spleen. When the spleen immune activity increased, the size and activity of lymphocyte proliferation also were
increased so that the morphology of spleen size becomes larger . However, the treatment of EAFPAwasdeclined
spleen index becomes smaller. It was believed to be the role of naftakuinon compounds had immunosuppressive
effect that can inhibitted NF- kB as transcription factor of expression of immune response.

Conclusion

EAFPA at doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg bw has immunosuppressant effect with an effective dose of 125
mg/kg bw. EAFPA revealed the presence of the following classes of chemical compounds: polyphenols,
flavonoid, steroid/triterpenoidandkuinons. These constituents are well established for their anticancer,
antiproliferative, chemopreventive,chemotherapeutic. EAFPA supress both cellular and humoral immune
systems.Immunomosuppresant potential of EAFPAcould be attributed for the presence of naphthoquinone
which may modulate one of the above mentioned immune-mechanisms.

Acknowledgement

Acknowledgements submitted to the research grant from Directorate General of Higher

Education,Indonesia (DIRJEN DIKTI) through Decentralization on funding research grants awarded (HIBAH
DOSEN PEMULA) in 2015.

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