Immunomodulation of musk-moxa-string therapy in patients with scrofula.
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.
Shen
G X
GX
Laboratory of Immunology, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.
Su
N
N
Zhu
H F
HF
Wang
X L
XL
Zhang
Y
Y
Sun
B
B
Hong
S Y
SY
Liu
G Y
GY
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*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; C008563:musk