Inhibitory effects of plant secondary metabolites on cytotoxic activity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

The inhibitory effects of 151 natural products, representing most of the frequently occurring types, on the cytotoxicity to MM2 tumor cells of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) induced by TAK, a polysaccharide immunomodulator, were examined. Forty-two compounds inhibited the TAK-induced activation of PMN. Among them, some naturally occurring quinones and various alkaloids (nicotine, Cinchona alkaloids, isoquinoline alkaloids such as cepharanthine, and indole alkaloids such as ajmaline) exhibited potent inhibitory effects. Using the inhibition assay for monitoring, the extracts of Hydrangea Dulcis folium, Scopoliae rhizoma, Cinchona cortex, Magnoliae cortex, Stephania tuber, and Rauwolfia radix were analysed to characterize the active constituents.