The Uncaria tomentosa water extracts (C-Med-100) depleted of
indole alkaloids (< 0.05%, w/w) have been shown to induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation in
tumor cells in vitro and to enhance DNA repair, mitogenic response and white blood cells in vivo. In this study, the effect of
C-Med-100 in the treatment of chemically induced
leukopenia was evaluated in a rat model. W/Fu rats were treated first with
doxorubicin (DXR) 2 mg/kg x 3 (i.p. injection at 24 hour-intervals) to induce
leukopenia. Twenty-four hours after the last DXR treatment, the rats were daily gavaged with
C-Med-100 for 16 consecutive days. As a positive control,
Neupogen, a granulocyte colony stimulator was also administered by
subcutaneous injection at a dose of 5 and 10 microg/ml for 10 consecutive days. The results showed that both
C-Med-100 and
Neupogen treatment groups recovered significantly sooner (p < 0.05 by Duncan test) than DXR group. However, the recovery by
C-Med-100 treatment was a more natural process than
Neupogen because all fractions of white blood cells were proportionally increased while
Neupogen mainly elevated the neutrophil cells. These results were also confirmed by microscopic examination of the blood smears. The mechanism of the
C-Med-100 effect on WBC is not known but other data showing enhanced effects on DNA repair and immune cell proliferative response support a general immune enhancement.