title: Role of B-lymphocytes in the immunopharmacological effects of a traditional Chinese medicine, xiao-chai-hu-tang (shosaiko-to).
abstract: We previously reported that a traditional Chinese medicine, Xiao-chai-hu-tang (Japanese name: Shosaiko-to), induced interferon (IFN) activity in the serum of mice after intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration. In the present study in which murine spleen cells were cultured in vitro with Shosaiko-to, B-cells isolated by anti-immunoglobulin-coated plates were confirmed to generate IFN in response to Shosaiko-to stimulation. IFN activity was induced in the serum after i.p. administration of Glycyrrhizae radix, Scutellariae radix, Bupleuri radix and Pinelliae tuber which are included in Shosaiko-to as its constituent. Such an IFN-inducing activity was confirmed to exist in methanol-insoluble fractions of these extracts derived from Shosaiko-to and these constituents but not in methanol-soluble fractions. These four extracts as well as Shosaiko-to, induced interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the serum after the administration. In in vitro stimulation of spleen cells, Shosaiko-to and extracts of Glycyrrhizae radix, Bupleuri radix and Pinelliae tuber showed mitogenic activity, but an extract of Scutellariae radix with in vivo IFN-inducing activity did not. B-cells appear to participate in the immunopharmacological effects of Shosaiko-to through mitogenic activity, IFN induction and the effect of IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Laboratories, Kanebo Ltd, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawakita
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008934:Mitogens; C461320:shosaiko-to; D007372:Interferons