Bauhinia variegata Linn (BV), commonly known as Raktkanchan is a medium sized
deciduous tree found throughout India and traditionally used to cure variety of ailments. In
Ayurveda, the plant is documented to be useful as rasayana. The present investigation was planned
to evaluate immunomodulatory potential of aqueous (BVA) and ethanol (BVE) extracts of stem bark
of BV on neutrophil phagocytic function. The various concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg/ml) of
both the extracts were subjected to study their effects on different in vitro methods of Phagocytosis
such as neutrophil locomotion and chemotaxis, immunostimulant activity by Phagocytosis of killed
Candida albicans and qualitative nitro blue tetrazolium test using human neutrophils. The results
of this preliminary study shown that both the extracts of BV possess stimulatory effect on
chemotactic, phagocytic and intracellular killing potency of human neutrophils at the concentration
range of 25-100 mg/ml. However, significant activity was revealed by BVE at highest concentration
of 100 mg/ml in all the parameters studied. These results suggest that stem bark extracts of
B.variegata possess immunomodulatory activity and justifies its use in Ayurveda as rasayana.
Key words: Bauhinia variegata, Neutrophils, Phagocytosis, Chemotaxis, Candida albicans.
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