Objective: Carum carvi, a medicinal plant commonly used in traditional medicine, is the focus of this study, which aims to assess the protective effects of its hydroalcoholic seed extract (HECCS) against immunosuppression caused by cyclophosphamide.
Materials and Methods: Thirty Swiss albino mice were used. The control group received normal saline (oral (p.o.)) for 29 days. The cyclophosphamide (CTX) group received CTX (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) on the 8th, 15th, and 21st days. The standard group was given levamisole (50 mg/kg, oral (p.o.)) daily for 29 days, combined with CTX (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)). The treatment groups received HECCS at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg (oral (p.o.)) daily for 29 days, together with CTX (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)). On day 30, mice were sacrificed for functional, hematological, biochemical, and histological analyses of blood and spleen.
Results: HECCS contained flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, phenols, and carbohydrates. CTX treatment caused a notable reduction in phagocytic activity, neutrophil adhesion, hematological parameters, and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) levels. Conversely, HECCS (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed a dose-dependent increase in phagocytic activity, neutrophil function, and hematological restoration, with elevated TNF-α levels compared with the CTX group) in splenic tissue. These effects were comparable to those elicited by the standard medication levamisole (50 mg/kg). Histological analysis of spleens showed preservation of structural integrity, especially in the 400 mg/kg HECCS group.
Conclusion: HECCS exhibits significant immunostimulatory and hematoprotective properties in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice, likely due to the synergistic effects of its bioactive phytoconstituents.