The effects of ginseng and echinacea on some plasma cytokine levels in rats

In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of ginseng and echinacea on plasma levels of IL-10, TGF-beta 1, TNF-alpha in healthy rats. In this research, 48 male Fischer 344 rats were divided into three equal groups as Control (K), Ginseng (G) and Echinacea (E). The control group were fed the standart rat diet (Purina (R)) as ad libitum for 40 days, whereas G and E groups animals received the same diet containing 0.5 g/kg Panax ginseng and 0.75 g/kg Echinacea purpurea, respectively. At 20th and 40th days, plasma levels of the IL-10, TGF-beta 1, TNF-alpha were assessed. At the 20th day, plasma IL-10 level in the ginseng group was higher (P < 0.05) compared to the control and the echinacea group. There was no difference among the sampling times and the groups in concern with TGF-beta 1 level. At the 20th day, TNF-alpha level was higher (P < 0.05) in the echinacea group than those of the ginseng and the control group. At the 40th day, TNF-alpha level in the echinacea group was higher (P < 0.05) than the control group. In this study, the increases in IL-10 level with ginseng application and in TNF-alpha level in the echinacea group have supported the view of these plants modulate the immune system. However, it requires to make more detailed study about the effects of these plants on these cytokines.