Moringa Oleifera Tea Alters Neutrophil but not Lymphocyte Levels in Blood of Acutely Stressed Mice

Abstract

Stress influences health and wellbeing, altering many physiological systems including the immune system. Herbal concoctions including teas impact immunity and mitigate the negative effects of stress. Moringa oleifera is a tree that is exceptionally rich in medicinally relevant and immune modulating nutrients and phytochemicals. The goal of this experiment was to determine whether tea prepared from dried Moringa oleifera leaves influenced acute stress induced changes to the levels of circulating lymphocyte and neutrophils. Balb/c mice were offered either water or Moringa tea ad libitum for four days and then randomly selected for either restraint for 1h or 12 h to induce stress or left alone (unstressed). Post stress the levels of circulating neutrophils and lymphocytesin the blood were determined by differential cell staining. While, mice that consumed water had significant (p<0.05) increases in circulating blood neutrophils after 1h of restraint, the level of neutrophils in the mice dosed with tea remained unchanged. Post 12h of restraint stress significant (p<0.05) increases in neutrophil levels were observed in mice that consumed tea but not in mice that consumed water. In the case of lymphocytes, consumption of Moringa tea had no effect. Compared to unstressed mice, 1 h or 12 h of restraint stress resulted insignificant (p<0.05) decreases in circulating lymphocytes of similar magnitude in both the water and Moringa tea groups. Flow cytometric analysis showed no significant differences in CD3+ T cells or CD19+ B cells levels. These data suggest that consumption of the Moringa tea can influence stress induced variations to circulating neutrophils but not lymphocytes.