[The effects of plant preparations on cellular functions in body defense]

Two preparations of Echinacea purpurea and a preparation of Eleutherococcus senticosus increased the in vitro phagocytosis of Candida albicans by granulocytes and monocytes from healthy donors by 30-45%. The chemotactic migration of granulocytes in the Boyden Chamber was increased by 45% with an Echinacea purpurea extract. The two herbal preparations had no effect in either direction on intracellular killing of bacteria or yeasts. Echinacea and Eleutherococcus preparations did not induce in vitro transformation of lymphocytes. The mistel toe preparation examined (Viscum album) did not influence the tested functions of granulocytes, monocytes or lymphocytes of healthy donors.