Immunomodulatory effects of a traditional Chinese medicine, Chi-Shie-Shuang-Bu-An-Shen-Tang, on BALB/c mice.

Abstract

Chi-Shie-Shuang-Bu-An-Shen-Tang (CST), a traditional Chinese medicine, has long been used to stabilize one's spirit and treatment of body weakness caused by fatigue. In order to understand whether the CST possess the immunological function and effect of thermal processing on its activities, sterilized (SCST) and nonsterilized CST (NCST) extracts were orally administrated to BABL/c mice for 1 or 3 weeks as drinking water. The results showed that CST extract after sterilization at 121 degrees C for 15 min had higher immunological activities than nonsterilized CST. SCST revealed mitogenic effects on splenocyte stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A) and mediated the changes of total serum antibodies; production of IgG increased and IgE reduced. Among cytokines, secretion of IFN-gamma increased and IL-5 decreased, which fit in with the Th1 cell profile, however cytolytic activity of natural killer cells did not show any significant difference. Furthermore, the population of CD4(+) T cells in the mice spleen increased after oral administration of SCST for 3 weeks. These results suggest that SCST had the immunomodulatory effects which drove CD4(+) T cells into Th1 cells and had potential benefit to cope with CD4(+) T lymphopenia condition.

• Authors: Ching An Wu, Jia Jiu Wu, Meei Ju Tsai, Ru Yin Chen
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 113 Issue 2 Pg. 300-5 (Sep 05 2007) ISSN: 0378-8741 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 17681444 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin M
• Immunologic Factors
• Interleukin-2
• Interleukin-5
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Mitogens
• Plant Extracts
• chi-shie-shuang-bu-an-shen-tang
• Concanavalin A
• Interferon-gamma

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Concanavalin A (pharmacology)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Immunoglobulin M (blood)
• Immunologic Factors (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Immunophenotyping
• Interferon-gamma (metabolism)
• Interleukin-2 (metabolism)
• Interleukin-5 (metabolism)
• Killer Cells, Natural (cytology, drug effects)
• Lipopolysaccharides (pharmacology)
• Lymphocytes (cytology, drug effects, immunology)
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mitogens (pharmacology)
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Spleen (cytology, drug effects, metabolism)