Immunomodulatory effects of three herbal extract formulations on bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Herbal extract formulations have attracted increasing interest as immunomodulatory agents in veterinary medicine. This study evaluated the immunomodulatory potential of three herbal extracts, namely Extract A (Boswellia serrata, Commiphora myrrha, and propolis), Extract B (Nypa fruticans), and Extract C (Boswellia serrata, Commiphora myrrha, Scutellaria baicalensis, Gardenia jasminoides, and propolis), using a bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) in vitro model. Cytotoxicity assessment via WST-1 assay confirmed that all three extracts were non-cytotoxic at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL. RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that all three extracts significantly modulated the expression of cytokines and transcription factors associated with Th1 (IFN-γ, TBX21), Th2 (IL-4, GATA3), Th17 (IL-17, RORC), and regulatory T cell (CTLA4, Foxp3) pathways. Extract A induced sustained upregulation across multiple targets, Extract B elicited rapid but transient responses, and Extract C produced broad and progressive modulation. These findings provide experimental evidence for the immunomodulatory activity of these herbal formulations in bovine immune cells, supporting their further evaluation as candidate agents for veterinary immunotherapy.