title: Effects of moxibustion on cellular immunocompetence of gamma-irradiated mice.
abstract: The effects of moxibustion on cellular immunocompetence of gamma-irradiated mice were investigated in this study. A total of 240 male young mice (ICR strain), 6-8 weeks of age, were chosen and divided into three groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with 400 rad whole body gamma-irradiation. Group C, the experimental group, was treated with moxibustion (MT) after being exposed to gamma-irradiation. Six to eight mice from each group were sacrificed on days 1, 5, 12, 19, 26 and 33 post-irradiation. The body and splenic weights of mice in each group were measured. The cellular immunocompetence was measured by 3H-thymidine uptake in each experimental mouse. The results revealed that 400 rad of gamma-ray irradiation inhibited the increase of body and splenic weights, and exerted a pronounced inhibitory effect on the incorporative rates of 3H-thymidine after being stimulated by mitogens such as PHA, PWM, Con A and LPS in the splenic lymphoid cells. MT seemed to help the recovery of the cellular immunocompetence in the gamma-ray irradiated mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicine, Chinese Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hau
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000528:radiation effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008934:Mitogens; D009071:Moxibustion; D009929:Organ Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D008934:Mitogens; D013936:Thymidine