Natural immunity boosters: Clinical trial reports

Background 

The CoViD-19 pandemic since Dec 2019, has created a stressful atmosphere throughout the world. It is adversely affecting the mental health of all age groups of people. Hence the World Health Organization has shown concern on the deteriorating mental health and confirmed for its treatment on priority. The uncertainty, fear, loss of job, social distancing has disturbed the normal lifestyle of humans creating a very suffocating and stressful situation and impacting future works. To control such situations stress-relieving activities like yoga, breathing exercises, changing the diet to a stress-relieving diet and the use of supplements having stress reliving properly is gaining importance. Health drinks are serving a purpose in many cases, One such health drink is like Mulmina® Mango containing extracts of Mango, Centella asiatica and turmeric and vitamins such as Vitamin B complex. The antioxidant and vitamin B complex are said to produce an anti-stress effect. Also, 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^1,2. 

Study design ²

The study was designed to evaluate 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,  

A classical method known as Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was used for creating an animal model with both psychological and physical stress induction.

Method ²:

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

Results ²

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

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

Discussion ^2,3

Feelings of fear, a threat to safety, status, or well-being cause stress which triggers the secretion of sympathetic catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and neuroendocrine hormones (cortisol) to overcome the stress and promote well-being. 

The Open field test study showed an increase in ambulation, rearing and decrease in immobility period of the stressed mice which prove that the Mulmina reduced the stress levels and normalized their natural behaviour which was disturbed by stress.

The study also proved that Mulmina® also restored the cognitive function which was disturbed by stress as is evident from the decrease in the time spent in the closed arm by the treated mice and increase in time spent at novel object recognization test.

The increased levels of SOD, GSH and catalase and decrease MDA levels showed that Mulmina® has a significant antioxidant effect, which reduces oxidative stress.

Stress-related disorders like anxiety and depression are co-related with TNF-α which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and a decrease in the levels of TNF-α shows that Mulmina is effective in reducing stress.

Further, it was also observed that there was decreased elevated cortisol levels in stressed mice when treated with Mulmina®. The reduced cortisol levels occurred because of stress-related dysregulation of the HPA axis. Cortisol level increases in a stressed situation to give the energy and substrate necessary to balance the stress-provoking stimuli or prevent the danger. Cortisol also has potent anti-inflammatory, helps to use the glucose reserves for energy and modulate inflammation. The study also showed reduced levels of triglycerides, cholesterol & glucose after using Mulmina®, working by restoration of adrenal, noradrenaline and corticosteroid significantly.

Conclusion

The above studies showed that Mulmina® was effective in reducing the stress levels and proving antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties which are essential for the good mental health of common people and reduce the additional burden of COVID-19 pandemic related stress.

References:

1. MASSIMO BIONDI  , A. I. CoViD-19 and stress in the pandemic: “sanity is not statistical”. Riv Psichiatr 2020, 55(3), e1-e6
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.