Immunomodulatory and In vivo Antiplasmodial Activities of Propolis Extracts

Problem statement: Malaria caused by various species of prozoan parasites, Plasmodium. The exact mechanism of humoral immunity in eliminating Plasmodium is not completely understood. However, an antimalarial antibody is strongly suspected to play important role in immunity. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the immunomodulator and antiplasmodial activities of Indonesian propolis extracts. Approach: Thirty male BALB/c mice weighing approximately 25-30 g aged between 6 and 8 weeks old were used for propolis treatment in vivo. The mice infected with 0.1 mL of the P. berghei suspension at a concentration of 10⁷ parasites per mouse on day 0. The drug was administered orally for 4 days from day 0-3 at doses 25, 50 and 100 mg kg^-1 BW in the experimental group. The control group was given the solven in equal volume for the same duration. This research utilized not only hypersensitivity reaction which measures the humoral immunity by SRBC-immunized mice but also the activity and capacity of peritoneum macrophage phagocytosis in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. The parasitaemia number was calculated using blood smear method every day for 4 day after the mice had been infected P. ^berghei to identify the antiplasmodial activity. Results: The research results revealed that Propolis Hydroalcoholic Solution (PHS) had a strong immunomodulatory activity but weak antiplasmodial activity. Conclusion: It was concluded that PHS showed more immunostimulant activity than antiplasmodial activity, proved by the increase of IgG and the macrophage phagocytosis activity and capacity. The antiplasmodial activity of PHS was due to the mice immunity increase so that they lived longer.