The protective effect of hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41), a Japanese herbal medicine, against HSV-1 infection in mitomycin C-treated mice.
BACKGROUND
Immmunosuppression and infectious disease in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy is a serious problem. Immunopotentiating drugs may show a therapeutic efficacy.


METHODS
The protective effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41), a Japanese traditional herbal medicine, on mitomycin C (MMC)-induced immunosuppression has been investigated. Spleen weight, the number of forming colonies of granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) in the bone-marrow cells, natural killer (NK) activity in splenocytes and susceptibility to lethal herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection were evaluated.


RESULTS
Oral administration of TJ-41 (2000 mg/kg/day) restored MMC-induced decline of spleen weight. CFU-GM and NK activity (20.6% to 68.4%, 48.8% to 77.7%, 21.1% to 95.1%, respectively). Moreover, MMC treatment resulted in a lethal HSV-1 infection and TJ-41 showed a preventive effect.


CONCLUSIONS
TJ-41 may be beneficial for the treatment of infectious diseases in immunocompromised patients receiving chemotherapeutic drugs.
Kido
T
T
Kampo and Pharmacognosy Laboratory, R and D Division, Tsumura and CO. Ibaraki, Japan. kido_toshitaka@mail.tsumura.co.jp
Mori
K
K
Daikuhara
H
H
Tsuchiya
H
H
Ishige
A
A
Sasaki
H
H
D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000633:toxicity*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000187:drug effects*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000633:toxicity*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C402943:bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang; D016685:Mitomycin