Integrated Traditional Chinese And Modern Medicine
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1997. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 15, 1997; 3(4): 266-268
Published online Dec 15, 1997. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v3.i4.266
Clinical and experimental studies on stomach carcinoma treated with Yangwei Kangliu granules
Wen-Ping Lu, Gui-Zhi Sun, Bing-Kui Piao, Hai-Tao Dong, Zong-Yan Yang, Hong-Sheng Lin
Wen-Ping Lu, Gui-Zhi Sun, Bing-Kui Piao, Hai-Tao Dong, Zong-Yan Yang, Hong-Sheng Lin, Department of Tumor, Guanganmen Hospital, China Academy of TCM, Beijing 100053, China
Wen-Ping Lu, female, born on 1968-10-23 in Chengde City, Hebei Province, graduated from the China Academy of TCM as a postgraduate in 1995, currently Physician-in-Charge, having 3 papers published.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Wen-Ping Lu, Department of Tumor, Guanganmen Hospital, China Academy of TCM, Beijing 100053, China
Telephone: +86-10-63013311-303
Received: January 12, 1997
Revised: June 3, 1997
Accepted: June 28, 1997
Published online: December 15, 1997
Abstract

AIM: To study the anti-cancer mechanism of Yangwei Kangliu (YWKL) granules from the view point of red blood cell (RBC) immunity and to investigate the relationship between RBC immunity and T lymphocyte immunity.

METHODS: Fifty patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were treated with a combination of YWKL granules and chemotherapy. Venous blood samples were obtained before treatment and after one course of treatment. The rosette rate of c-3b-receptor (RBC-C-3bRR), tumor and red cell (RRTR) and RBC immune complex (RBC-ICR) were measured under microscopy by counting the rosettes formed by sensitized or unsensitized yeast adherence. The T lymphocyte subset was observed by the method of APAAP. Control patients were treated with chemotherapy alone (n = 20). In addition, mouse tumor studies were performed to investigate the dynamic changes of RBC-C-3bRR, RRTR and RBC-ICR in response to treatment with YWKL granules (n = 30). Mice treated with chemotherapy alone (n = 30) or water alone (n = 30) were used as controls.

RESULTS: The clinical therapeutic effect of combination treatment with YWKL granules and chemotherapy (i.e. the treatment group) was markedly superior to that of chemotherapy alone (i.e. the control group) (P < 0.01). In the treatment group, the rosette rates of RBC-C-3bRR and of RRTR were significantly increased (P < 0.01) after treatment, the rate of RBC-ICR was markedly decreased (P < 0.01), and the ratio of CD4 to CD8 was obviously elevated (P < 0.01). Moreover, CD8 was much lower (P < 0.01) and the ratio of CD4 to CD8 was much higher (P < 0.01) than that in the control group. The RRTR rate was positively correlated with the ratio of CD4 to CD8. In mice, on day 9 of bearing cancer, the tumor weight in the group treated with YWKL granules alone was much lower than that of the tumors in the control mice groups; in addition, the YWKL treated mice showed higher RBC immune function than the mice of the two control groups. On day 13 of bearing cancer, however, the differences in both tumor weight and RBC immune function had disappeared.

CONCLUSION: The anti-cancer mechanism of YWKL granules may involve enhancement of RBC immunity and of T lymphocyte immune function, which is supported by the finding of RBC immune function being correlated with T lymphocyte immune function.

Keywords: Stomach neoplasms; Yangwei Kangliu granules; RBC immunity