Evaluation of the Immunomodulatory Activity of Four Compounds Exerting Antimutagenic Effects on Human Lymphocytes in Vitro

Four compounds previously described as antimutagenic for human lymphocytes in vitro were tested on their immunomodulatory activity in lymphocyte cultures. The standard immunocytochemical methods were applied for microscopic examination of the percentual representation of the main lymphocyte subpopulation. The results imply that all of the tested compounds exhibited significant immunomodulatory effect, with that of fluphenazine being the strongest, whereas that of todralazine is the weakest. Two of the tested compounds: anthocyanins from Aronia melanocarpa fruit, and alkylresorcinols from cereal grains, also exhibited a distinct immunomodulatory activity, and it deserves adequate attention as an activity exerted by natural products, commonly present in regular human diet. The analysis of the proliferating cell fraction, and the estimation of the cell proliferation rate suggest that the effect of the tested compounds might depend on an increase in the number of lymphocytes which expressed their differentiation antigens on the cell membranes.