中草藥對於細胞性免疫反應影響之評估(Ⅲ)

Evaluation of Chinese Herbs that Affect the Cell-mediated Immunity(3)

中草藥在我國已被臨床中醫師及民間廣泛運用，但目前仍缺乏有效科學數值以證實其療效，本篇論文即針對民間常用之消炎、止痛、止咳和治風濕等八種中草藥當材料，以人類單核球細胞(Human mononuclear cells)為標的細胞，藉以瞭解這些中草藥其療效與人體免疫反應間之關係。實驗中，我們以乙醇進行天然物的粹取，所得之粗粹取物與人類單核球細胞共同培養，經過三天以3H-thymidine 標識去氧核糖核酸合成，由此可知中草藥之粗粹取物對於人類單核球細胞生長的影響。結果顯示，在八種具消炎、止痛等功效之中草藥內，其中兩種（青脆枝及風藤）對於人類單核球細胞生長具有抑制作用，此外，它們也會抑制第二介白質(Interleukin-2)和丙種干擾素(Interferon- γ)的分泌。這些實驗結果符合中草藥之作用，未來我們將進一步純化其天然物，並探討其作用機轉。

Eight Chinese herbs commonly used as antinflammatory drugs in traditional Chinese medicine were selected for immunopharmacological activity test. Human mononuclear cells (HMNC) from peripheral blood were used as target cells. Ethanolic extracts of the Chinese herbs were added into HMNC cultures. Subsequent, cell proliferation was determined by ?鯨-thymidine uptake. the results indicated that two out of eight ethanolic crude extracts of chinese herbs (Nothapodytes foetida and Piper futokadsura) suppressed HMNC proliferation. It is unlikely that cytotoxicity was involved, because no cell deaths were observable. the inhibitory mechanisms may involve the blocking interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. Since both ethanolic crude extracts suppressed IL-2 and IFN-γ production of HMNC in a dose-dependent manner, Therefore, it is suggested that immunomodulatory agents are contained in N. foetida and P. futokadsura. Plans are underway for the isolation of pure compounds from these Chinese herbs and the elucidation of their mechanisms of action.