title: Effects of astragali radix extract on carcinogenesis, cytokine production, and cytotoxicity in mice treated with a carcinogen, N-butyl-N'-butanolnitrosoamine.
abstract: We studied the effects of astragali radix extract, a Chinese herb and one of eight components in Shikaron, on carcinogenesis, natural killer (NK) cell activity, and the cytokine production of lymphocytes in mice treated with a carcinogen, N-butyl-N'-butanolnitrosoamine (BBN). We found a significantly lower incidence of urinary bladder carcinoma in mice treated with BBN plus 10 mg/kg/day or more of Astragalus extract (7, 2, and 3 mice among 15 mice in 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg/day group, respectively, vs. 14 of 15 mice treated with BBN alone). Astragalus extract prevented the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes against YAC-1 cells from the depression by BBN. It also protected the production of interleukin-2 and gamma-interferon of lymphocytes from the depression by BBN. These results, including our previous findings, suggest that the Astragalus extract exerts an anticarcinogenic effect in carcinogen-treated mice through activation of cytotoxic activity and the production of cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Sciences, Gunma University School of Health Sciences, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurashige
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akuzawa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D027883:Astragalus Plant; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D002085:Butylhydroxybutylnitrosamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D002085:Butylhydroxybutylnitrosamine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C027492:Huang Qi