Effects of Several Herbs on the Immune Responses

수종 한약재가 면역 반응에 미치는 영향

It was claimed that the herbal medicine with the function of strengthening the body resistance exerts to enhance the immunity. And the medicine with the effect of eliminating the pathogenic factor is stated to inhibit the immune response. To evaluate the the effects of the herbal medicine on the immune response, the mice were administrated with the herbal medicine for 2 weeks. And the responses were analyzed. As the result, water extract of Radix Astragali, Fructus Psoraleae, Cortex Acanthopanacis, Semen Coicis, Herba Ecliptae, Spica Prunellae, and Radix Sophorae increased the ROI production, while Radix Tripterygia inhibited it. Phagocytic activity was increased after administration of Radix Astragal, Fructus Psoraleae, Cortex Acanthopanacis, Herba Ecliptae, Spica Prunellae and Radix Sophorae. NK cell activity was also significantly inhibited by Radix Tripterygia. Administration of Radix Astragali, Fructus Psoraleae, Cortex Acanthopanacis, Herba Ecliptae, Spica Prunellae and Semen Coicis enhanced the antibodies(hemagglutinin and hemolysin) formation and the appearance of rosette forming cells of the spleen, while Radix Sophorae and Radix Tripterygia decreased it. Radix Sophorae and Radix Tripterygia also decreased the allogenic immune response and mixed-lymphocyte reaction. And all the experimental herbs decreased contact hypersensitivity against dinitroflurobenzene. These results show Radix Astragali, Fructus Psoraleae, Spica Prunellae, Cortex Acanthopanacis, Semen Coicis and Herba Ecliptae enhanced innate immunity, humoral and cellular immune responses. However Radix Sophorae and Radix Tripterygia exert imunosuppressive action. Also these results indicate that the medicine with the action of the strengthening the body resistance enhances the immunity. And the the some of drugs belonging to the eliminating the pathogenic factor also increase the immune responses.