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Background: Correct use of cuminum cyminum and finding its different applications in medicine and industry necessitates a more clear understanding of this medicinal plant. This study deals with identifying the effects of the essential oil of this herbal plant on macrophages and tumor cell lines. Materials and Methods:Cuminum cyminum essential oil was extracted from its fruit, and its effects on peritoneal macrophages and LPS stimulated macrophages were examined. MTT assay was done for evaluation of macrophages viability and the amount of nitric oxide (NO) in culture supernant was measured by Griess Reagent. WEHI-164 mice fibrosarcoma cell line was cultured with different concentrations of cuminum cyminum and cytotoxicity level was evaluated by MTT assay. Results: The viability of macrophages and also, the amount of NO production in 50 and 500 μg/ml cuminum cyminum essential oil was lower than that of the control group (p<0.001). MTT assay showed that cuminum cyminum essential oil in 50 and 500 μg/ml concentrations significantly inhibits tumor cells growth (p<0.001). Conclusion: Cuminum cyminum essential oil by having immune-modulatory properties can be used in treatment of many inflammatory and immunologic disorders. Also, it can be used as a therapeutic or complementary agent in tumor therapy.

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Background: Brucellosis is caused by brucella which is a facultative intracellular pathogen invading both professional and nonprofessional phagosytic cells. Eucalyptus globulus is one of the most widely used medicinal plants in folk medicine throughout the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of Eucalyptus globulus extracts on intramacrophage Brucella melitensis 16M. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, after preparing aquatic, ethanolic, and acetonic extracts of Eucalyptus globules, the effect of the extracts on intramacrophge survival of B. melitensis 16M obtained from cell culture of Balb/c mice peritoneal macrophages was studied. In order to do this, after lysis of macrophages, through preparation of serial dilutions and culture on Mueller Hinton agar medium, the number of colonies grown was counted. Results: The maximum antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus globulus extracts on intramacrophage B. melitensis 16 M were in 1:40 dilution (21.62 mg/ml) of the aquatic extract, 1: 640 dilution (1.26 mg/ml) of the ethanolic extract, and 1:320 dilution (2.59 mg/ml) of the acetonic extract after 24h. Conclusion: Aquatic, acetonic, and ethanolic extracts of Eucalyptus globulus possess antimicrobial properties against intramacrophage B. melitensis 16M and ethanolic extract has the most effective antimicrobial activity on intramacrophage Brucella melitensis therefore, these extracts can be useful in treatment of brucellosis.

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Background: The neutrophil-activating protein (HP-NAP) of Helicobacter pylori is a protective antigen and a major virulence factor of this bacteria. Stimulating the immune system for helicobacter infection treatment could have an important role. The aim of study is to assess the effect of recombinant Neutrophil activating protein (Hp-NapA) of helicobacter pylori on proliferation and viability of peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, recombinant Hp-NapA of helicobacter pylori was produced in vitro. Mice peritoneal macrophages were purified and cultured. Different concentrations of recombinant Hp-NapA was used for macrophages stimulation. MTT assay was performed to assess the viability and proliferation of macrophages.

Results: The results elucidated that the increasing effect of stimulation with recombinant Hp-NapA was significant at the dose of 30 µg/ml  (p=0.01). The rate of viabitity was significantly higher than control group at the doses of 30 and 60 µg/ml and in the concurrency series of recombinant protein with lipopolysaccharid, there was a statistically significarit increase in proliferation at just these doses.

Conclusion: According to our findings, recombinant Hp-NapA has a positive effect on proliferation, viability and function of peritoneal macrophages. Therefore, it is proposed that recombinant Hp-NapA can be studied as an immunomodulator for immunotherapy.