Lowering Effects of Allyl Isothiocyanate on the Number of Lymphocyte and Its Subsets in Rats

• Published in: Journal of Health Science 2010, Vol.56(3), pp.347-354
• Main Authors: Imaizumi, Kazuhiko, Sakakibara, Yuko, Sasaki, Hiromi, Sato, Shogo, Takei, Yumi, Hiruma, Kaori, Ban, Takamasa, Kawashima, Yu, Tanihata, Jun, Tachiyashiki, Kaoru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: allyl isothiocyanate; B-lymphocyte; lymphocyte; natural killer cell; T-lymphocyte
• ISSN: 1344-9702; 1347-5207
• DOI: 10.1248/jhs.56.347

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of a main pungent component of wasabi, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), on the number of lymphocytes, T-lymphocyte, B-lymphocyte and natural killer (NK) cells and plasma corticosterone concentrations in rats. AITC was given as either single dosage [20 mg/kg body weight per day; subcutaneous (s.c.) and oral] or as a daily dosage (10 mg and 20 mg/kg body weight per day; s.c.) for 4 days for the hourly and daily assessment of changes in the numbers of lymphocytes, respectively. A single s.c. injection or oral administration of AITC significantly reduced the number of lymphocytes at 4 hr to approximately 0.68 times, indicating that decreased effects of AITC on the number of lymphocytes are independent on the administration route. Administration of AITC for 4 days reduced dose-dependently the number of lymphocytes, and significantly reduced the number of T-lymphocyte and B-lymphocyte to 0.79 and 0.60 times, respectively. However, the number of NK cells did not change by AITC. Administration of AITC increased plasma corticosterone concentrations at 4 day of post s.c. injection to 5.4-6.0 times. These results suggest that AITC-mediated immunosuppresion is at least in part attributable to changes in the number and distribution of lymphocyte and its subsets.