title: [Comparative study of tissue cultured Dendrobium protocorm with natural Dendrobium candidum on immunological function].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the immunological function and acute toxicity of the tissue cultured protocorm from Dendrobium candidum with natural medicinal materials from Dendrobium candidum.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect on immunological function was examined by counting white blood cells, weighing the weight of immune organs, and using carbon granules clearance and lymphocyte transformation test in mice treated with cyclophospamide. The acute toxicity was studied by giving maximum tolerated dose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tissue cultured protocorm could increase the quantity of white blood cells, the ratios of thymus weight to body weight and spleen weight to body weight, promote the function of phagocytes and enhance the lymphocyte transformation rate. The mice could tolerate the dose of 54.56 g/kg(dried herbs) by oral administration. The functions were similar to those of natural medicinal materials from Dendrobium candidum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both tissue cultured protocorm and natural medicinal materials from Dendrobium candidum could improve immunological function with similar potency. The maximum tolerated dose was 227 times as high as the effective clinical.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ruomin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yaoping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Haigui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Danping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Zhibi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D046508:Culture Techniques; D031667:Dendrobium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal