소음인(少陰人) 승양익기탕(升陽益氣湯)의 면역조절작용(免疫調節作用)

Immunoregulatory Action of Soeumin Seungyangikkitang

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of Seungyangikkitang (SIT) on the immune cells in BALB/c mice. SIT (500mg/kg) was administerd p.o. once a day for 7 days. SIT enhanced the proliferation of thymocytes, but decreased the proliferation of splenocytes. SIT enhanced the subpopulation of cytotoxic T cells in thymocytes and helper T cells in splenocytes, but did not affect the subpopulation of B220/Thy1 cells. SIT enhanced the production of γ-interferon and interleukin-2 in thymocytes, splenocytes and serum, but did not affect the production of interleukin-4. SIT suppressed the production of nitric oxide, but enhanced the lucigenin chemiluminescence and the engulfment of FITC-conjugated E. coli particles in peritoneal macrophages. These results suggest that SIT has a potent activity on the specific immunity via the cytokine secretion of Th1 cells and the non-specific immunity via the phagocytic activity of macrophages in vivo.