• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.86-92
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• 2006

Background: Germanium compounds are increased to use in nutrient foods and medicines in terms of antibiotics to microbes, anticancer, modulation of immune system and neutralizing heavy metal toxins. Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, containing stable organic germanium and bound to the yeast protein was developed by Geranti Pharm. LTD. and the modulation effect in the immune system was examined in vivo and in vitro. Methods: The compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, was fed to female Balb/c mice (each group has 10 mice) for 4 weeks and the yeast powder and steamed red ginseng powder were used as control during the same feeding time points. During 4 weeks there was no symptom to be considered, and after 4 weeks feeding all mice were sacrificed to check the changes of related immune cells and subsidiary responses (i.e. cell counting, FACS, MTT, LDH, PFC assay). Results: In pre-post comparison, B cell population was increased in the group of Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast in a dose dependent manner (100 to 800 mg/kg). However, the population of T cell, dendritic cell and macrophage was not comparably changed in all doses. The ability of cytokine production and proliferation was almost same level as shown in control group. In contrast, PFC assay informed that the compound increase the antibody production ability when fed over 200 mg/kg implying that the increase of PFC number might be due to the increase of B cells. Conclusion: Over the entire study, we concluded that the compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast has better potential in immune response in terms of B cell proliferation than that of positive control, red ginseng, and the compound can be one of the future candidates for a new supplementary source improving immune system activity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.203-212
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• 1993

To find antitumor components in the hot water extract of the cultured mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum, protein-bound polysaccharides were purified and fractionated (Fr. I-V) by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange column chromatography and Sepbarose CL-4B gel filtration. When a dose of 20 mg/kg/day of each was, i.p., injected into ICR mice, the inhibition ratios against the solid form of sarcoma 180 were $64.2{\sim}75.8%$. The antitumor component was examined for immunological activity. It increased the amount of superoxide anion released by induced macrophages in peritoneal cavity to 1.8 times and the count of hemolytic plaque-forming cells (PFC) was increased to 4.4 times as compared with those of the control group. It contained 68.6% polysaccharide which consisted of mannose, glucose, galactose, fucose and xylose and 5.1% protein consisting of 17 amino acids. The contents of hexosamine were 0.78%. The molecular weight of Fr. V that showed the highest antitumor activity was $5.8{\times}10^4$ dalton by Sepharose CL-4B gel filtration. It was named lucidan.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.158-170
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• 1992

The studies were conducted to investigate the combined effects of several combined preparation of crude drugs and mitomycin C(MMC). The combined effects on the proliferation of Molt-4 cells and activation of human lymphocytes were estimated by MTT colorimetric assays. The drugs itself enhanced the proliferation of Molt-4, but the inhibitory action of MMC was not affected by the combined treatment of the drugs and MMC. Among 9 kinds of the drugs, Sip Jeon Dae Bo Tang(SDT), Saeng Maek San(SMS) and Kwi Bi Tang(KBT) did not inhibit the action of MMC, but activated lymphocytes. When the mice were treated by MMC, the number of leukocytes was decreased significantly at the 1st day, but recovered at the 7th day. In the groups of MMC treated with SDT or KBT, the number of leukocytes was increased significantly than the group of MMC treated only at the 3rd day. The combined treatment of SDT, SMS and MMC retained the body weight of mice at the level of normal mice. The SDT, SMS and KBT did not change the number of plaque forming cells(PFC) and the proliferation of T cells. The combined treatment of SDT and MMC increased the number of PFC significantly than the MMC treated group. The combined treatment of SDT, SMS, KBT and MMC increased the T cell proliferation significantly than the MMC treated group. In conclusion, it is suggested that SDT, SMS and KBT can recover the side effects of MMC, such as weight loss, leukopenia and immunosuppression, without any intercalating the anti-proliferative action of MMC in vivo.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.376-382
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• 1994

Repeated injections of low-doses of mercuric chloride in rats or mice induce polyclonal activation which includes the induction of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies and circulating immune complex and it results in nephritis. Because this disease is autoimmune mediated disease resulted from immune dysfunction, immunomodulators are used to control the symptoms or to cure the disease. Irpex lacteus Fr. is a kind of new medicinal fungus. The polysaccharide fraction extracted from submerged fermentation of Irpex lacteus Fr. decreased the serum agglutinin, serolysin and IgM plaque forming cells in normal mice. The hitherto obtained clinical results suggested that it significantly improved the oligourea, edema, and hypertension in patients who have nephritis. To elucidate the action-mechanisms of Irpex lacteus Fr., we established the experimental model of HgCl$_2$induced polyclonal activation by intraperitoneal administrations of HgCl$_2$to mice. To assess the immunomodulating effect of Irpex lacteus fraction, we Investigated its effects on the mitogen induced proliferation and IgM PFC counts of splenic lymphocytes in mice during the treatment of HgCl$_2$. The Irpex lacteus polysaccharide reduced the abnormally increased mitogen induced Iymphocyte proliferation and IgM PFCs to almost normal levels. And the Irpex lacteus polysaccharides prevented the increasement of serum immunoglobulin level induced by HgCl$_2$. These data suggested that the Irpex lacteus polysaccharides might have the immunomodulating activity to prevent and /or improve the HgCl$_2$ induced autoimmune disease.