The effects of echinacea purpurea on immune and hemopoietic cell populations in a plasmacytoma mouse model /

Pristane, a pure alkane, is known to induce plasma cell dyscrasias in BALB/c mice. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of long-term dietary administration of Echinacea purpurea on immune and hemopoietic cell populations of the spleen and bone marrow, of normal and plasmacytoma-bearing mice. The results revealed quantitative cell lineage-specific changes in both the spleen and bone marrow of pristane-exposed animals. Moreover, the consumption of Echinacea resulted in cancellation of the pristane-mediated negative effects on NK cells and nucleated erythroid cells. Echinacea administration over the long-term resulted in a prolongation of the onset of old age mediated deaths by 120 days, and indeed resulted in a 30% increase in survival at age of 400 days when 55% of normal mice, consuming an untreated diet, were dead. In contrast, however, Echinacea did not improve the lifespan of plasmacytoma-bearing animals