Red Moringa oleifera Demonstrates Protective Hepatotoxicy effects in Mice Infected with Salmonella typhi by Suppressing Natural Killer (NK) and Macrophage

Hepatotoxicity, or liver damage caused by infection or chronic inflammation, is often a challenge in managing typhoid fever. This infection triggers an immune response involving various immune cells, including NK cells and macrophages. NK cells play a crucial role in identifying and destroying infected cells, while macrophages are involved in pathogen phagocytosis and cytokine production, which can exacerbate inflammation.

The present study aimed to evaluate Moringa oleifera extract effects on S. typhi infection in mice.

Female Balb/C mice were randomly divided into eight groups. The treatment groups were orally administered with extract Moringa oleifera at doses 14, 42, and 84 mg/kg BW during the 28 days experimental period. Then S. typhi was introduced to mice through intraperitoneal injection except in the healthy groups. The extract Moringa oleifera administration was continued for the next seven days. Cells that expressed CD11b⁺TNF-α⁺, NK⁺IFN-γ⁺ were assessed by flow cytometry and analysis liver with Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE). Result Our result suggested that Moringa oleifera extract significantly increased (p < 0.05) the expression of CD11b⁺TNF-α⁺, NK⁺IFN-γ⁺ subsets.

The Moringa leaf extract has the potential to act as an immunomodulatory agent by regulating the immune response through the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ⁺ and TNF-α⁺. This mechanism ultimately decreases inflammation and improves the liver condition of mice infected with Salmonella typhi.