title: Immunomodulation of musk-moxa-string therapy in patients with scrofula.
abstract: The effects of musk-moxa-string therapy on the immune system in man were investigated in 39 patients with scrofula. Before treatment, the numbers of peripheral blood (PB) CD3+ and DC4+ cells and the ratio CD4+/CD8+ were found to be lower in patients with scrofula than in normal subjects, while those of B cells and DR+ cells were higher. Response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) diminished in patients with scrofula. At month 2-6 of musk-moxa-string therapy the number of PB CD8+ cells showed slight diminution along with significant increases in CD3+ and CD4+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in total lymphocytes (P less than 0.001). In vitro a marked increased blastogenic response to mitogen stimulation with PHA was observed in PBMC of patients with scrofula after treatment (P less than 0.001). In contrast, B lymphocytes, monocytes, DR+ cells and blastogenic response to concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen were not influenced by musk-moxa-string therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.
authors.forename: G X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009071:Moxibustion / Q000379:methods; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; C008563:musk