Immunomodulatory Effect of Chebulagic Acid from Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. on T Cell Activation and Cytokines Secretion in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

T cell activation and cytokine production are key components of the adaptive immune response, and their dysregulation is linked to various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.Chebulagic acid, a tannin polyphenol from Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.)Roxb., has shown promising immunomodulatory properties.In this study, we examined the effects of chebulagic acid on T cell activation markers (IL-2 receptor CD25 and HLA-DR) and secreted cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF, IFN, and GM-CSF) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).Molecular docking showed chebulagic acid binds to CD25 (PDB: 7F9W) and HLA-DR (PDB: 7YX9) with affinities of -7.5 and -9.1 kcal/mol, respectively.Experimentally, chebulagic acid demonstrated inhibitory effect on both activation markers and cytokine production.These results suggest chebulagic acid can effectively modulate T cell responses, supporting further research into its mechanisms and potential therapeutic use in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.