title: Efficacy of a pure compound H1-A extracted from Cordyceps sinensis on autoimmune disease of MRL lpr/lpr mice.
abstract: Cordyceps sinensis (CS) is a traditional Chinese medicine with immunomodulatory effect and is effective in improving the survival of lupus mice. In the present study we isolated a pure compound (H1-A) from CS and investigated its effect on inhibiting autoimmune disease progression in MRL Ipr/Ipr mice. Our results demonstrated that MRL Ipr/Ipr mice treated daily with H1-A (40 microg/kg/d orally) for 8 weeks had a progressive reduction in anti-ds-DNA production (optical density value decreased from 0.172 +/- 0.009 to 0.112 +/- 0.015) when compared with the control group (optical density value increased from 0.141 +/- 0.036 to 0.198 +/- 0.047). In clinical presentation, the treated group had a reduction in lymphadenopathy, a delayed progression of proteinuria, and an improvement in kidney function. Histologic analysis of kidney tissue indicated that H 1-A could inhibit the mesangial proliferation that was evident in lupus nephritis. However, there was no significant change in immune complex deposition. The studies reveal that the pure compound (H1-A) may be potentially useful for treating systemic lupus erythematosus in human patients, and they provide some questions for further investigation of the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000737:chemistry*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2