title: Beneficial effects of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol on antitumor activity and toxicity of cyclophosphamide in tumor-bearing mice.
abstract: 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) is an extract of Panax quinquefolius L. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of PPD on the antitumor activity and toxicity of cyclophosphamide (CTX) in tumor-bearing mice. C57BL/6 mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma cells were treated with PPD (50 mg/kg) alone, CTX (20 mg/kg) alone or PPD (50 mg/kg) in combination with CTX (20 mg/kg), respectively. The results showed that PPD alone has no significant antitumor activity but synergistically enhanced the antitumor activity of CTX. PPD significantly increased the peripheral white blood cell count, bone marrow cell count, interleukin-2 and interferon-γ in CTX-treated tumor-bearing mice. The lowered levels of spleen index, splenocyte proliferation and natural killer cell activity in tumor-bearing mice following CTX treatment were also increased by PPD administration. PPD may be a beneficial supplement during CTX chemotherapy for enhancing the antitumor efficacy and reducing the toxicity of CTX.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy; China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130021,  P.R. China ; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Hospital; China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130021,  P.R. China.
authors: Guangzhu
authors: G
authors: Lin
authors: Xiaofeng
authors: X
authors: Yu
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Shaochun
authors: S
authors: Qu
authors: Dayuan
authors: D
authors: Sui
keywords: 20(S)-protopanaxadiol; cyclophosphamide; spleen index; white blood cell count