Amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by Ishige okamurae .

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune central nervous system disease characterized by inflammation with oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate an anti-inflammatory effect of Ishige okamurae on EAE-induced paralysis in rats. An ethanolic extract of I. okamurae significantly delayed the first onset and reduced the duration and severity of hind-limb paralysis. The neuropathological and immunohistochemical findings in the spinal cord were in agreement with these clinical results. T-cell proliferation assay revealed that the ethyl-acetate fraction of L okamurae suppressed the proliferation of myelin basic protein reactive T cells from EAE affected rats. Flow cytometric analysis showed TCR alpha beta T+ cells was significantly reduced in the spleen of EAE rats with I. okamurae treatment with concurrent decrease of inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2. Collectively, it is postulated that L okamurae ameliorates EAE paralysis with suppression of T-cell proliferation as well as decrease of pro-inflammatory mediators as far as rat EAE is concerned.