Efficacy of a pure compound H1-A extracted from Cordyceps sinensis on autoimmune disease of MRL lpr/lpr mice.

Abstract

Cordyceps sinensis (CS) is a traditional Chinese medicine with immunomodulatory effect and is effective in improving the survival of lupus mice. In the present study we isolated a pure compound (H1-A) from CS and investigated its effect on inhibiting autoimmune disease progression in MRL Ipr/Ipr mice. Our results demonstrated that MRL Ipr/Ipr mice treated daily with H1-A (40 microg/kg/d orally) for 8 weeks had a progressive reduction in anti-ds-DNA production (optical density value decreased from 0.172 +/- 0.009 to 0.112 +/- 0.015) when compared with the control group (optical density value increased from 0.141 +/- 0.036 to 0.198 +/- 0.047). In clinical presentation, the treated group had a reduction in lymphadenopathy, a delayed progression of proteinuria, and an improvement in kidney function. Histologic analysis of kidney tissue indicated that H 1-A could inhibit the mesangial proliferation that was evident in lupus nephritis. However, there was no significant change in immune complex deposition. The studies reveal that the pure compound (H1-A) may be potentially useful for treating systemic lupus erythematosus in human patients, and they provide some questions for further investigation of the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.

• Authors: L Y Yang, A Chen, Y C Kuo, C Y Lin
• Journal: The Journal of laboratory and clinical medicine (J Lab Clin Med) Vol. 134 Issue 5 Pg. 492-500 (Nov 1999) ISSN: 0022-2143 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10560943 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Antinuclear
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Interleukin-2

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Antinuclear (biosynthesis)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypocreales (chemistry)
• Immunosuppressive Agents (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• In Vitro Techniques
• Interleukin-2 (biosynthesis)
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic (drug therapy, etiology, physiopathology)
• Lupus Nephritis (pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control)
• Lymphatic Diseases (drug therapy)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred MRL lpr
• Proteinuria (drug therapy)