Synergistic effect of Elephantopus scaber L and Sauropus androgynus L merr extracts in modulating prolactin hormone and erythropoiesis in pregnant typhoid mice

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of Elephantopus scaber L. and Sauropus androgynus (L.) merr formulations in prolactin and erythrocyte cell production in pregnant typhoid mice.Methods: In the experiment, 21 pregnant BALB/c mice, divided into seven treatment groups (n = 3) were used. All groups, except control group (T1), were orally infected with Salmonella typhi (107 CFU/mL). Individual initial doses of 200 mg/kg E. scaber and 150 mg/kg S. androgynous were given to the mice. Extracts of E. scaber and S. androgynus were then administered orally in the following formulation ratios: 100:0 (T3), 75:25 (T4), 50:50 (T5), 25:75 (T6) and 0:100 % (T7). Blood was isolated from the orbital veins of pregnant mice at 4, 8 and 12 days post-infection, and centrifuged at 2500 rpm and 10 ºC for 5 min. The supernatant was separated from the pellets to obtain the serum. Hematopoietic cells were isolated from bone marrow at 12 days post-infection. Prolactin hormone level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and erythrocytes were measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).Result: Salmonella typhi infection in pregnant mice reduces levels of prolactin and TER119+ cells. T7 formulation increased (p < 0.05) prolactin levels on days 8 (3.83 ± 0.93 ng/mL) and 12 (3.45 ± 0.39 ng/mL) post-infection. Furthermore, the T3, T5, and T7 formulation may have elevated the number of TER119+ cells compared to the control group. Mice given the T3 formulation showed increased numbers of TER119+VLA4+ (68,73 %), those given T5 showed comparable numbers of TER119+VLA4- (45.81 %) and TER119+VLA4+ (54.19%), while those given T7 showed increased the numbers of TER119+VLA4- (97,45 %).Conclusion: E. scaber and S. androgynus leaves extracts significantly increased (p < 0.05) the levels of prolactin and erythrocytes to support the pregnancy of BALB/c mice with typhoid model.Keywords: Elephantopus scaber, Erythropoiesis, Pregnancy, Prolactin, Salmonella typhi, Sauropus androgynu