title: Synergistic immunostimulating activity of pidotimod and red ginseng acidic polysaccharide against cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression.
abstract: We investigated the synergistic effect of combined treatment with red ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP) from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and pidotimod in cyclophosphamide-treated mice. The combination of pidotimod and RGAP restored concanavalin A-induced splenic T cell proliferation and LPS-stimulated B cell proliferation significantly. The production of nitric oxide from peritoneal macrophages was increased by the combinations. NK cell activity was increased by RGAP alone or in combination with pidotimod. A synergistic increase in the level of serum IL-12 and interferongamm was observed when the combination of the two was used. RGAP alone or in combination with pidotimod modulated the level of serum C-reactive protein to a near-normal level. These results indicate that combinations of pidotimod and RGAP are synergistic and suggest that combination therapy using pidotimod and RGAP for improving immune activity may provide an additional benefit over the use of the two drugs by themselves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Cheng Zhe
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Chun Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Se Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choung
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D053778:Thiazolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D053778:Thiazolidines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C064893:pidotimod; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid