Evaluation of immunomodulatory effect of Ranahamsa Rasayanaya – A Sri Lankan classical rasayana drug, on experimental animals

Immunity plays a key role in maintaining the health of an individual. Therefore, the rational modulation of the immunity through psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune (PNI) axis is useful for the prevention as well as for the curing of the diseases. As immunomodulation is a parameter for evaluation of the rasayana effect of a drug, the same has been studied to assess the rasayana effect of Ranahamsa Rasayanaya (RR). Experimental models such as antibody formation against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and cell mediated immunity (CMI) have been carried out befitting on Wistar strain albino rats to determine the immunomodulatory effect plus rasayana effect of RR. Statistically significant increase in body weight, nonsignificant increase in antibody formation against SRBC, highly significant decrease in CMI were observed in the treatment groups, when compared to the standard control group. These results show the probable immunomodulatory and anabolic activities of the test drug. Outcome of these studies validate the strong rasayana effect of the test drug claimed by the traditional practitioners of Sri Lanka.