title: [Effects of fuzheng paidu tablet on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and neopterin of thirty-two asymptomatic HIV carriers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of Fuzheng Paidu Tablet (FPT) on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and neopterin (NPI) in patients with asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) carriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using flow cytometry detection technology, CD T lymphocyte in anticoagulant blood sample of 32 asymptomatic HIV infection patients who were taking FPT for 6 months was detected and compared with before treatment. The serum levels of TNF-alpha and NPI were determined using ELISA method and compared with 22 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 months of treatment by FPT, the CD4+ T lymphocyte of asymptomatic HIV carriers increased from (368.63 +/- 111.54)/mm3 to (412.72 +/- 159.63)/mm3. Before treatment the serum levels of TNF-alpha [(20.05 +/- 13.08) nmol/L] and NPI [(9.55 +/- 2.52) nmol/L] were obviously higher than those of the healthy volunteers [(12.20 +/- 4.07) nmol/L and (5.91 +/- 1.43) nmol/L] (P < 0.05). After 6 months of treatment by FPT, they were lower after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in the serum TNF-alpha level [(11.06 +/- 4.71) nmol/L] when compared with the healthy volunteers group (P > 0.05). But the serum NPI level [(8.08 +/- 2.13) nmol/L] was still higher than that of the healthy volunteers group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One of the pathological factors for asymptomatic HIV infection is abnormal immune activation represented by increased serum levels of TNF-alpha and NPI. FPT could lower the serum levels of TNF-alpha and NPI in asymptomatic HIV infection patients, which was one of its possible mechanisms for its efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for AIDS, First Hospital Affiliated to Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou.
authors.forename: Dan-Ni
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hui-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D013607:Tablets; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D013607:Tablets; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019798:Neopterin