Hot and Cold natures and some parameters of neuroendocrine and immune systems in traditional Iranian medicine: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess differences in persons of a Hot or Cold nature (according to traditional Iranian medicine), in terms of changes in their neuroendocrine and immune systems.


METHODS
Thirty-seven (37) male volunteers (20-40 years old) were divided into two groups, by whether they had a Hot or Cold nature. In addition, the Warmth/Coldness ratio of all the volunteers was assessed. Plasma concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol, and also the concentrations of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated by mitogen were measured.


RESULTS
The results showed that norepinephrine/epinephrine and norepinephrine/cortisol ratios were significantly higher, and that there was a borderline significantly increased IL-4/IFN-gamma ratio in the Hot nature group compared with those in the Cold nature group. In addition, there was a significant linear positive correlation between the norepinephrine/epinephrine and Warmth/Coldness ratios and a significant nonlinear association between the IL-4/IFN-gamma and Warmth/Coldness ratios.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be deduced that the persons of a Hot nature had more sympathetic nervous system activity, less adrenal sympathetic, adrenal corticosteroid, and parasympathetic nervous system activities and more deviation of the immune system toward T-helper (Th)2 responses than the persons of a Cold nature. Moreover, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system was increased and adrenal sympathetic was decreased with an increasing Warmth/Coldness ratio. Furthermore, when the person's nature veered toward extreme Warmth or extreme Coldness, the deviation of the immune system toward Th2-like responses was greater, but this increased deviation was much more marked when veering toward extreme Warmth than toward extreme Coldness.
Shahabi
Shahram
S
Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. shahabirabori@yahoo.com
Hassan
Zuhair Muhammad
ZM
Mahdavi
Mehdi
M
Dezfouli
Mahya
M
Rahvar
Monireh Torabi
MT
Naseri
Mohsen
M
Jazani
Nima Hosseni
NH
Khalkhali
Hamid Reza
HR
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000276:immunology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*
D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine