title: [Extracorporeal experimental study on immuno-modulatory activity of Astragalus memhranaceus extract].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of Astragalus membranaceus extract (AME) in regulating the immune function of human peripheral blood immune cells (PBIC) in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Effects of AME on the proliferation activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the tumor cell phagocytosis of peripheral blood adherent monocytes (PBAM) were measured by using 3H-TdR incorporation. Effect of the tumor-killing activity of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) was determined by using 51Cr-releasing assay. Effects on production of IgG by peripheral blood B cells (PBBC) and IL-6 by PBAM were tested by means of ELISA, and effect on production of TNF-alpha by PBAM was studied by means of biological method. Besides, the protein elements of AME were analysed by SDS-PAGE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AME could promote the proliferation of human PBMC, elevate the tumor cell-killing activity of CTL, strengthen the tumor cell phagocytosis and cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-6) production of PBAM, and promote the IgG production of PBBC. AME contained multiple protein elements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AME has effect in enhancing human immuno-function and anti-tumor activity, it could be applied in clinical practice for immuno-modulation and tumor treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017.
authors.forename: Run-tian
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bao-en
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Qiao-xia
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha