The lectins present in plants of Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujuba and Calycotome villosa were extracted by soluble proteins (crude extract) in phosphate buffer (0.1M, pH 7.2). Peptide fraction and purified peptide of Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujube and Calycotome villosa showed the highest anti-oxidant activity in the DPPH, SOD and Ferric reducing assay radical scavenging model. Extracted lectin of Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujubaand Calycotome villosa showed the thermostability is more than 100°C. However, the lectin of Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujub aand Calycotome villosa was stable in the pH ranging between 3-12, 2- 12 and 1- 12respectively and were not inhibited by the sugars. Immunomodulatory activitiesof extracted lectins from Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujube and Calycotome villosa were evaluated on phagocytic activity by carbon clearance test. Adult Albinos wistar mice randomly divided into three groups were the first served as a control, while the remaining groups respectively treated with extracted lectins from plants of Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujubaand Calycotome villosa at the dose of 25 and 100 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection (IP). Change in phagocytic activity was determined after 48 h injection of carbon ink suspension. In carbone clearance test, extracted lectins from Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujube and Calycotome villosa exhibited significantly phagocytic index dose-dependent against the control group, indicating stimulation of the reticulo-endothelial system. The present study thus reveals that extracted lectins from Ephedra alata, Zizyphus jujuba and Calycotome villosa holds promise as an immunomodulatory agent, which acts by stimulating dose-dependent phagocytic function.
