Abstract
Sweet sagewort (Artemisia annua) is a species that has been used for many years to treat high fever due to its artemycin content. Artemycin is the active ingredient in antimalarial drugs. Additionally, the plant’s leaves are consumed as tea or aqueous extract. Invertebrate model organism Galleria mellonella is preferred in immune studies due to its ease of administration, natural immunity shared with mammals, including humans, and rapid determination of results. In this research, we systematically assessed the impact of A. annua extract on the immune system of animals by employing the G. mellonella model organism. We meticulously examined key facets of innate immune responses, including total hemocyte count, encapsulation-melanization, and phenoloxidase activity. Furthermore, we delved into the effects on antioxidant enzyme activity, specifically superoxide dismutase, catalase, and lipid peroxidase. The hemocyte count showed a statistically significant decrease across all given doses of the A. annua extract when compared to the control groups. The A. annua extract had no effect on the catalase activity, malondialdehyde amount, phenoloxidase activity, or melanization response of G. mellonella larvae, according to the findings of our study. Nonetheless, it enhanced SOD activity. In comparison to the control groups, it decreased the strong encapsulation response, which is a cell-mediated immune response, at all doses. While the A. annua extract had little effect on enzymatic processes in animals, it reduced cell-mediated immune responses by altering cell behaviours and count with cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.
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We would like to thank Selçuk University BAP Coordinatorship for supporting our work with the project numbered 21401018. We also thank ÇOMÜDAM officials for allowing us to use the laboratory facilities.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Rahile Öztürk and Serhat Kaya. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Serhat Kaya and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Öztürk, R., Kaya, S. Influence of Artemisia annua (Asteraceae) leaf extract on immunity in Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Biologia 79, 1827–1840 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-024-01677-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-024-01677-7