Effects of glycyrrhizae and glycyrrhizic acid on cellular immunocompetence in low-dose gamma-ray irradiated mice.
BACKGROUND
For both animals and human beings, it is important to prevent damage from ionizing radiation and to restore immunocompetence following irradiation. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of glycyrrhizae (GL) and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) on cellular immunocompetence in low dose gamma-ray-irradiated mice.


METHODS
Six- to 8-week-old ICR strain' Crl:CD-1-ICR (BR) strain male mice, bred in the Institute of Cancer Research, U.S.A., were chosen and divided into four groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, received 1 Gy of whole body gamma-ray irradiation. Groups C and D, the experimental groups, were treated with 500 mg/kg of GL (orally) and 5 mg/kg body weight of GA (i.p.), respectively, once a day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks after gamma-irradiation. The tested mice were killed, at 6 different intervals to measure their leukocyte and differential counts. Cellular immunocompetence was measured by the 3H-thymidine uptake in each group.


RESULTS
One gray of gamma-ray irradiation had evident inhibition on the leukocyte and differential counts and the cellular immunity of mice. GL and GA could help to restore the decreased leukocyte counts and the cellular immunocompetence in low dose gamma-irradiated mice.


CONCLUSIONS
GL and GA could help to restore decreased leukocyte counts and the cellular immunocompetence in low-dose gamma-ray-irradiated mice.
Lin
I H
IH
Department of Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Hau
D M
DM
You
J S
JS
Huang
H F
HF
Chen
K T
KT
Chiou
Y Y
YY
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D004247:DNA