Silibinin (Legalon-70) enhances the motility of human neutrophils immobilized by formyl-tripeptide, calcium ionophore, lymphokine and by normal human serum.

Experiments reported here were designed to investigate the effect of silibinin (extracted from Silybum marianum) on human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) motility and on leukocyte immobilizing activity of lymphokine (leukocyte inhibitory factor, LIF), formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), calcium ionophore A-23187 and human sera inactivated by heat (HI-S). In the in vitro experiments, silibinin (1-10 micrograms/ml) failed to influence the random motility of unstimulated PMNS in agarose droplet assay, but enhanced the motility of the PMNs immobilized by fMLP, calcium ionophore, LIF or by autologous human sera. In the in vivo study, silibinin (Legalon-70) two hours after the administration was effective in enhancing spontaneous motility of leukocytes obtained from health volunteers which action could be regarded as a consequence of the decrease of leukocyte immobilizing activity being present in normal human plasma.