Natural immunity boosters: Clinical trial reports

Background 

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and created a stressful environment due to the restrictions in socializing to prevent the spread of the infection. The pandemic situation has to lead to poor mental health outcomes, due to isolation, job loss, maintaining social distancing and avoiding social gathers which have become essential to combat the spread, at the same time these restrictions have created a stressful atmosphere among all people.¹

Thus along with maintaining and boosting our immune system which provides a defence to the body, good mental health has become a concern. People are becoming depressive and anxiety is engulfing all age groups. In such a situation, health drinks like Mulmina® Mango containing extracts of Mango, Centella asiatica and turmeric provide relief and remove the stress due to the current pandemic situation. Centella asiatica present in the health drink has stress-relieving properties. Hence, in-vitro clinical trials were carried out to prove the efficacy of the health drink ². 

Study design ²

The study was designed to determine the anti-stress effects of Mulmina® Mango in mice which were randomized into five groups of 10 mice each based on the stratified body weight. 

For 21 days, the animal Group II to V was exposed to different types of stressors.

Diazepam was used as a standard drug,  

Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) is considered a classic method for building an animal model with both psychological and physical stress induction.

Method ²:

• The locomotory, exploratory, and anxiety behaviour was determined by using the Open field test.
• The anxiety and memory were tested using the Elevated plus (EP) maze.
• The sucrose splash test was used to study the behavioural motivation  of  mice  through  self-care  grooming 
• The memory associated with recognition was tested with a Novel object recognition test.
• Biochemical parameters like SOD reduced GSH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and catalase estimation were also determined and theirs plasma levels such as plasma glucose, plasma cholesterol, and plasma triglycerides were measured.
• ELISA assay technique was used to measure the plasma cortisol levels and plasma TNF-α.

Results ²

The study showed that Mulmina® low-dose (p<0.05) and Mulmina® high-dose (p<0.01) significantly increased several parameters in the open field test when compared to the control group. It showed an increase in the number of rearing (p<0.01), in the duration of grooming (p<0.01), in the time spent at a novel object (p<0.05), in the SOD activity (p<0.05), GSH activity (p<0.05) and the lipid peroxidation activity in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (p<0.01). 

Further, the study showed a significant decrease in immobility time (p<0.01), time spent at closed arm (p<0.01), CAT activity in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus (p<0.01), glucose levels (p<0.01), cholesterol levels (p<0.01), triglycerides levels (p<0.01),  cortisol levels (p<0.01) and the TNF-α expression (p<0.01).

Discussion ^2,3

A physiologic stress response can be evoked by fear, a threat to safety, status, or well-being and causes the secretion of sympathetic catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and neuroendocrine hormones (cortisol) to overcome the stressful situation and promote survival and motivation. 

Studies reveal that the Mulmina reduced the stress levels and normalized their natural behaviour which was disturbed by stress as is evident from the increase in ambulation, rearing and decrease in immobility period of the stressed mice in the open field test.

The decrease in the time spent in the closed arm by the treated mice and major increase in time spent at novel object provides evidence that Mulmina® also restored the cognitive function which was disturbed by stress. The increased levels of SOD, GSH and catalase and decrease MDA levels showed that Mulmina® has a significant antioxidant effect, which reduces oxidative stress.

TNF-α is  a  pro-inflammatory cytokine that is important in the pathogenesis of stress-related disorders like anxiety and depression, decrease in the levels of TNF-α shows that Mulmina is effective in reducing stress.Further, the study also showed that Mulmima treatment decreased the elevated cortisol levels in stressed mice which occur because of stress-related dysregulation of the HPA axis. Cortisol is considered to play important role in the stress response. In stressful conditions levels of cortisol increases to provide the energy and substrate necessary to manage stress-provoking stimuli or escape from danger. It is also a potent anti-inflammatory and helps to use the glucose reserves for energy and modulate inflammation. The study exhibited that Mulmina® decrease the elevated levels of triglycerides, cholesterol & glucose level via restoration of adrenal, noradrenaline and corticosteroid significantly.

Conclusion

The above studies show that Mulmina exhibits good anti-stress properties, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties which can help to reduce the pandemic related anxiety, fear among the common people and enhance the better management of mild stress.

References:

1. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/
2. Mulmina, Scientific updates,Update-1, 1-64. 
3. Kara E. Hannibal, M. D. B. Chronic Stress, Cortisol Dysfunction, and Pain: A Psychoneuroendocrine Rationale for Stress Management in Pain Rehabilitation. Phys Ther. 2014, 94(12), 1816–1825.