Use of herbs for improving the overall resistance of body against common infections and pathogens has been a guiding principle of Ayurveda (27,28). Chlorophytum spp. have been used and reported in many such formulations. The increase in survival rate is a general marker exhibiting potency of the ethanolic extract to overcome infectious condition. Increased carbon clearance is an indicator of enhanced in vivo phagocytic activity and competency of granulopoetic system in removal of foreign particle, thereby an indicator of enhanced immunological response against foreign particles or antigens. Increase in percent neutrophil adhesion is attributed due to marginalization of phagocytic cells, i.e. improved defensive response under normal circumstances. This study, apart from confirming the immunostimulant activity of C. borivilianum also, presents evidence for the presence of the substance other than sapogenins which induce stimulation of immune response in treated animals. Therefore, the plant holds promise for being used as an immunostimulat- ing agent and an in-depth study on various fractions of the extract effective as immunomodulating entities from the plant is warranted to determine the most potent immunostimulating fraction from C. borivilianum. Thus, the study validates the traditional use of herb as a ‘Rasayana’ in Ayurvedic system of medicine (23). Acknowledgments The authors are grateful to Troika Pharmaceuticals (Ahmeda- bad, India) for providing gift sample of Azathioprine and to Jeevan Agro farms Pvt. Ltd for providing C. borivilianum roots. One of the authors Mayank Thakur is also thankful to University Grants Commission for providing financial support. References 1. Mukherjee PK. Phytopharmacology in the evaluation of herbal drugs. J Pharma Res 2002;1:45–54. 2. Gauniyal AK, Rawat AKS, Pushpangadan P. Interactive Meeting for Evidenced-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicines: a Report. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2005;2:249–52. 3. Handa SS. Rasayana drugs. In: Handa SS, Kaul MK (eds). Supplement to Cultivation and Utilization of Medicinal Plants, Vol. 1. Jammu Tawi: Regional Research Laboratory, 1996, 509–10. 4. Tandon M, Shukla YN, Thakur RS. 4 Hydroxy, 8-11 oxidoheneicosol and other constituent for Chlorophytum arundinaceum roots. Phytochemistry 1992;3:2525–8. 5. Govindarajan R, Vijayakumar M, Pushpangadan P. Antioxidant approach to disease management and the role of ‘Rasayana’ herbs of Ayurveda. J Ethnopharmacol 2005;99:165–78. 6. Thakur M, Dixit VK. Effect of Chlorophytum borivilianum on androgenic and sexual behavior of male rats. Indian Drugs 2006;43:300–6. eCAM 2007;4(4) 423 7. Joshi H, Parle M. Brahmi Rasayana improves learning and memory in mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2006;3:79–85. 8. Triveni A. Rasendrasarasangrah: Vajikaranadhikar. Rajkot, India. Nutan Press, 617–43. 9. Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Indian Medicinal Plants. 2nd edition. Allahabad, India: Lalit Mohan Basu, 1956, 235–46. 10. Sharma SK, Chunekar KC, Paudal K. Plants of Sharangdhar Samhita. New Delhi: RAV publications Director Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth, 221–2. 11. Tandon M, Shukla YN. Phytoconstituents of Asparagus adescendens, Chlorophytum arundinaceum and Curculigo orichoides: a review. CROMAP 1995;12:202–4. 12. Kothari SK. Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) revisited. J Med Arom Plant Sci 2004;26:60–3. 13. Puri HS. Rasayana—Ayurvedic Herbs for Longevity and Rejuvenation. London: Taylor and Francis, 2003, 212–24. 14. Mishra SN. Bhaisajya Ratnavali. 1st edition. Varanasi: Chaukambha Surbharti Prakashan, 2005, 1008–133. 15. Brain KR, Turner TD. The Practical Evaluation of Phytopharmaceuticals, Vol III. Bristol, UK. Wright-Scientechnica, 104–44. 16. Paech K, Tracey MV. Modern Methods of Plant Drug Analysis, Vol. II. Gottingen: Springer Verlag, 1995, 155–97. 17. Govindarajan R, Sreevidya N, Vijayakumar M, Thakur M, Dixit VK, Mehrotra S, et al. Standardization and determination of antioxidant activity of Chlorophytum borivilianum. Nat Prod Sci 2005;11:165–9. 18. Biozzi G, Benacerraf B, Halpern BN. Quantitative study of the granulopoetic activity of reticulo endothelial system II: a study of kinetics of the RES relationship between weight of organs and their activity. Br J Exp Biol 1953;34:441–56. 19. Halpern BN, Bancerraf B, Biozzi G. Quantitative study of the granulopoetic activity of the reticulo endothelial system I: the effect of the ingredients present in India ink and of substances affecting blood clotting in-vivo on the fate of carbon particles administered intravenously in rats, mice and rabbits. Br J Exp Biol 1953;34:426–40. 20. Damre AS, Gokhale AB, Phadke AS, Kulkarni KR, Saraf MN. Studies on the immunomodulator activity of flavonoidal fraction of Tephrosia purpurea. Fitoterapia 2003;74:257–61. 21. Lagrange PH, Mackaness GB, Miller TE. Potential of T cell mediated immunity by selective suppression of antibody formation with cyclopho- sphamide. J Exp Med 1974;139:1529–39. 22. Atal CK, Sharma ML, Kaul A, Khajuria A. Immunomodulatory agents of plant origin: I preliminary screening. J Ethnopharmacol 1983;8:133–41. 23. Wilkonson PC. Neutrophil adhesion test.. In: Vane JR, Ferraria SH (eds). Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, Vol. 1. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1978, 109. 24. Fulzele SV, Burchandi PM, Kanoje VM, Joshi SB, Dorle AK. Immunos- timulant activity of Asthamangal ghrita in rats. Ind J Pharmacol 2002;34: 194–7. 25. Doherty NS. Selective effects of immunosuppressive agents against the delayed hypersensitivity response and humoral response to sheep red blood cells in mice. Agents Actions 1981;11:237–42. 26. Ziauddin M, Phansalkar N, Patki P, Diwanay S, Patwardhan B. Studies on immunomodulatory effects of Ashwagandha. J Ethnopharmacol 1996;50: 69–76. 27. Anonymous. The Wealth of India. Vol 1. New Delhi, India: National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR, 2002, 247. 28. Patwardhan B, Warude D, Pushpangadan P, Bhatt N. Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine: a comparative overview. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2005;2:465–73. Received May 21, 2006; accepted October 13, 2006