Theobroma cacao L., a fruit of cacao trees, is a perennial plant, which belongs to Sterculiaceae, and is native to the Amazon in South Africa. It also has been known for its various biologically active effects, such as anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, and anti-bacterial. The spleen cell proliferations of mice were measured at 48 hours after treatment of Theobroma cacao L. water extracts in seven concentrations(0, 5, 10, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000 μg/mL) an ELISA assay. The production of cytokine (IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ), is secreted by macrophages stimulated with LPS, was detected by ELISA assay using the cytokine kit. From the results of in vitro study, both splenocytes and cytokine production activated by peritoneal macrophages have increased when water extracts were supplemented in the range between 250 and 500 μg/mL concentration. Notably, splenocytes production has a signigicant proliferation at 500 μg/mL concentration. The result from this research suggests that supplementation with Theobroma cacao L. water extracts may enhance the immune function by stimulating the splenocyte proliferation and improving the cytokine production activating macrophage in vitro.

Pumpkin sweet potato (Ipomoea batas L.) has been known as a traditional remedy and food source, not only in South Korea but worldwide. It is rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and other minerals and vitamins, making it a nutritional food loved by many. showed that pumpkin sweet potato had antioxidant biological effects. The in vitro study showed that both splenocytes and cytokine production byactivated peritoneal macrophages increased when water extracts were supplemented at 100 and 250 μL/mL. Notably, the production of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ by splenocytes was significantly increased at 100 μL/mL. The results suggest that supplementation with pumpkin sweet potato (Ipomoea batas L.) water extract may enhance immune function by stimulating splenocyte proliferation and improving cytokine production, activating macrophages in vitro.

In vitro 실험을 통한 느타리버섯 물 추출물 첨가가 마우스의 면역세포 증식에 미치는 영향에 대한 연구 결과, 음의 대조군에 비해 느타리 물 추출물을 첨가한 모든 농도에서 비장세포 증식능이 증가하였으며, 특히 100~1,000 μg/mL 농도에서 유의적으로 증가하였다. 반면, 사이토카인 생성의 경우, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α 사이토카인 생성량을 측정한 결과, 느타리버섯 물 추출물 50~500 μg/mL 농도에서 생성된 IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α 사이토카인은 대조군보다 높은 생성량을 보였다. IFN-γ, TNF-α 사이토카인 모두 50, 100, 250, 500 μg/mL의 농도에서 높은 생성량을 나타내었다. IL-2의 경우, 생성량이 유의적인 차이는 보이지 않았지만, 50 μg/mL 이상에서 증가하는 경향을 보여주었다. 이상의 결과에 의하면 느타리버섯 물 추출물은 마우스 비장 세포를 증식시키고, 사이토카인 생성량에도 영향을 주어, 면역 기관의 주요 기능을 증진시킬 가능성이 있을 것으로 사료되며, 느타리버섯이 면역 증진 기능성 식품 개발의 소재로 활용될 가능성이 있을 것으로 기대된다.