Hochu-ekki-to combined with interferon-gamma moderately enhances daily activity of chronic fatigue syndrome mice by increasing NK cell activity, but not neuroprotection.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) combined with interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) on daily activity, immunological and neurological alternation in a mouse model of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). CFS was induced by 6 times of repeated injection of Brucella abortus antigen every 2 weeks. Both single TJ-41 and TJ-41 combined with IFN gamma increased running activity and thymus weight of CFS mice, while thicker thymic cortex together with elevation of natural killer cell activity was only found in the combined treatment group. No significant improvement was observed in the atrophic brain and decreased expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Bcl-2 mRNA in hippocampus in both treatment groups. Our results suggest that TJ-41 combined with IFN gamma might have a protective effect on the marked reduction in the activity in a model of CFS via normalization of host immune responses, but not neuroprotection.

• Authors: Rui Chen, Junji Moriya, Xianwen Luo, Jun-ichi Yamakawa, Takashi Takahashi, Kenroh Sasaki, Fumihiko Yoshizaki
• Journal: Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology (Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol) Vol. 31 Issue 2 Pg. 238-45 (Jun 2009) ISSN: 1532-2513 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18791913 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Bacterial
• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Neuroprotective Agents
• bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang
• Interferon-gamma

Topics

• Activities of Daily Living
• Animals
• Antigens, Bacterial (immunology)
• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (analysis, immunology)
• Brucella abortus (immunology)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage)
• Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic (drug therapy, immunology, pathology)
• Female
• Genes, bcl-2 (drug effects, immunology)
• Hippocampus (drug effects, immunology, pathology)
• Interferon-gamma (administration & dosage)
• Killer Cells, Natural (drug effects, immunology, pathology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Motor Activity (drug effects, immunology)
• Neuroprotective Agents (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Organ Size (drug effects, immunology)
• Spleen (drug effects, immunology, pathology)
• Thymus Gland (drug effects, immunology, pathology)