The effects of Thujae orientalis Semen, a Chinese sedative herb, on immune function of mice

• Main Authors: Liau Huei Ling, 廖慧玲
• Other Authors: Chou Shiu-Huey
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/89632025974653833652

碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 生物學系 === 90 === Chinese sedative medicines have been shown multiple functions including sedation, haematinic, nourishment of spleen, and vitality. Thujae orientalis Semen, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. inermis（Bge.）Rehd., Zizyphus juyuba Mill., Polygala tenuifolia Willd., Poria cocos（Schw.）Wolf., Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., Cinnamomum cassia Presl., and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. are common Chinese sedative herbs. Studies of the pharmacological effects of sedative herbs had found that Chinese sedative herbs posse both effects of the nerve system sedation and immune modulation. The purpose of present research was estimated the effects of sedative medicines on immune function and studied the regulation effect of sedative herbs on stress hormone-induced immune modulation. Eight sedative herbs extracts were prepared used phosphate buffer saline solution. The results from in vitro study used mitogen-stimulated proliferation indicated that Thujae orientalis Semen, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. inermis（Bge.）Rehd., Zizyphus juyuba Mill., Polygala tenuifolia Willd., Poria cocos（Schw.）Wolf., Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., Cinnamomum cassia Presl., and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. Had capability to enhance proliferation of T lymphocyte. Since Thujae orientalis Semen is chosen in further animal study. Inbred strain male BALB/c mice were used and eposed to 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 mg/g intraperitoneum (IP) injection for three days. Control mice were received saline injections. Twenty-four hours after last injection, the blood, spleen, thymus, and bone marrow were collected. Results indicated that Thujae orientalis Semen PBS-extract significantly dose-dependent enhanced T-lymphocyte proliferation of spleen and thymus in cultures stimulated with ConA. Moreover, Thujae orientalis Semen PBS-extract mild decreased the percent of CD4+、CD8+ T-lymphocytes in the spleen, but increased the percent of CD4+、CD8+ T-lymphocytes in the blood. The results of cytokines production in spleen had showed that Thujae orientalis Semen significantly increased spleen IL-10 production but decreased the IL-2 and IL-4 production. However, there was no effect on the spleen IFN-γ production. The production of IL-2 and IL-10 in thymus was increased in animals that received Thujae orientalis Semen injection. Thujae orientalis Semen also increased the LPS-stimulated spleen B-lymphocytes proliferation and IBM antibody production in the blood. In addition, Thujae orientalis Semen injection increased the splenic natural killer cells cytotoxic activity. It also decreased the apoptosis in spleen and thymus. However, there were no effect on the spleen and thymus TNF production and nitric oxide production in cultures of ConA- and LPS- stimulated splenocytes or thymocytes. Furthermore, there was no effect on the differentiation of bone marrow-derived granulocyte-monocyte progenitors. Administration of Thujae orientalis Semen extracts induced a dose-dependent increase of corticosterone level and Thujae orientalis Semen effect remaind further study. These results suggested that Thujae orientalis Semen induced the change of both specific and non-specific immunity.