OBJECTIVEProspective research demonstrated that Chinese regimen granules of Shenyang could prolong survival time and improve survival rate of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). But the mechanism was not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate Shenyang's effect on peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets of SD rats with SCC of tongue and explore immunological mechanism.

METHODSAmong 80 SD rats fed by 0.002% 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) drinking water for 36 weeks, 61 rats with SCC of tongue had been found and were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely Shenyang A, Shenyang B, positive and blank control groups. Before and after high and normal dosage of Shenyang, acanthopanax senticoside and water had been given for 15 days respectively, peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were detected with flow cytometry. The data were statistically analyzed with paired t Test.

RESULTSPercentage of CD3+ CD4+ T cell and CD3-CD161a+ NK cell, ratio of CD4+/CD8+ were increased. Percentage of CD3+CD8+ T cell was decreased, and the effect was better than that of acanthopanax senticoside in improving the percentage of CD3-CD161a+ NK cell.

CONCLUSIONAmong anti-tumor mechanisms of Shenyang it is that corrects disorder of lymphocyte subsets and increases percentage of CD3-CD161a+ NK cell.