title: [Clinical study on effect of Astragalus in efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing of chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of Astragalus membranaceus efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing on chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty tumor patients were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group. Both groups were treated with chemotherapy, but to the treated group, Astragalus injection was given additionally by intravenous dripping, 20 ml in 250 ml of normal saline once per day for 21 days as one course and 4 courses were given successively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the control group, the treated group showed a lower progressive incidence, lesser decrease of peripheral WBC and platelet count (P < 0.05), accompanied with CD8 significantly lowered (P < 0.05), CD4/CD8 ratio significantly increased (P < 0.01), IgG and IgM levels raised (P < 0.05) and Karnofsky scores elevated more than those in the control group. IgA level was unchanged in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Astragalus injection supplemented with chemotherapy could inhibit the development of tumor, decrease the toxic-adverse effect of chemotherapy, elevate the immune function of organism and improve the quality of life in patients.
authors.affiliation: Chengdu First Peopte's Hospital, Chengdu 610016.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Zai-mo
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016685:Mitomycin; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil