title: Prophylactic anti-tumor effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ41) by enhancing natural killer cell activity.
abstract: We assessed the anti-tumor activity in vivo of a kampo (Chinese) prescription Hocku-ekki-to (TJ41) in the rat and mouse tumor model. The growth of tumors was clearly inhibited in syngeneic animals given TJ-41 prophylactically. The splenic NK cells of TJ-41-treated WKA rats showed enhanced cytotoxicity against tumors including NK-sensitive YAC-1 targets. TJ-41 did not increase the splenic NK cell population, but it appeared that TJ-41 could potentiate the cytotoxic capability of each NK cell. These data indicate that TJ-41 may be useful for prophylactic immunotherapy of cancer. One of the mechanisms of the potent inhibitory effect by TJ-41 on tumor growth might be explained by its enhancement of NK activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000187:drug effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009857:Oncogenes; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal