Icariin (ICA), as one of the flavones compounds, possess strong pharmacological effects. With wide body distribution, it even could pass through blood-brain barrier into brain tissues. When intaken as a pure compound, distribution of ICA in body was accord with open type of two compartment model. If it is one ingredient of a complex prescription, other component of these could promote the absorption and distribution of ICA. After metabolism, the main component left was its aglycone. A lot of research about ICA based on immunology, phymatology, genesiology and endocrinology sustained it was a valuable compounds. Recently more research about ICA concentrated their interesting to its mysterious effect on bone tissues, cardiovascular system and especially nervous systems.
Animals ; Cardiovascular System ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; Flavonoids ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Nervous System ; drug effects

The purpose of the study is to find the allergic reaction types and characteristics of Chinese medicine injection ( CMI). The authors monitored patients who used Shuxuetong injection, Dengzhan Xixin injection, Shenqi Fuzheng injection, Shenmai injection, Ciwujia injection, Shuxuening injection, Tanreqing injection, Reduning injection, a total of 150,000 cases were monitored. They used a nested case-control design to group the patients and obtained the serum samples from 14 allergic patients and 55 matched patients. They used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect serum C3, C4, IgE, IgG, MCT-P, and judge the allergic reaction types: Shuxuetong injection hypersensitivity (1 case), can not determine (1 case); Dengzhan Xixin injection hypersensitivity (1 case), hypersensitivity & anaphylactoid reaction (1 case), can not determine (1 case); Shenqi Fuzheng injection hypersensitivity (3 cases), can not determine (1 case); Shenmai injection anaphylactoid reaction (1 case); Ciwujia injection can not determine (1 case), Shuxuening injection can not determine (1 case), Tanreqing injection can not determine (1 case), Reduning injection can not determine (1 case). The results showed that the main type of allergic reaction of CMI was hypersensitivity, the type of allergic reaction was closely related to the varieties of CMI, the hypersensitivity and anaphylactoid reaction might occur in one patient at the same time which used Dengzhan Xixin injection.
Drug Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Injections

Drug allergy and pseudoallergic reactions are main adverse drug reactions. Allergy is mainly induced by the immunogenicity of drug, drug metabolic products or drug additive. Pseudoallergic reactions may result from the irritation or activation of inflammatory material release. Pre-clinical evaluation of drug allergy and pseudoallergic reactions is included in immunotoxicity evaluation. Now there is no in vivo or in vitro method that could predict all kinds of allergy or pseudoallergic reactions due to the different mechanisms. In the past few years, FDA, SFDA OECD, ICH and WHO have published several guidelines on per-clinical immunotoxicity evaluation, however, no agreement has been reached on allergy and pseudoallergic reactions evaluation. This article reviews the requirements of allergy and pseudoallergic reactions in pre-clinical evaluation.
Drug Hypersensitivity ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

Endocrine Disruptors ; toxicity ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects

For the basic research on the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), objective syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine and evaluation criteria of traditional Chinese medicine compounds are hardly to break though. While, the modern immunology points out that the body is a counterbalance state and immune imbalance is the root of sickness. The thinking mode of treating diseases in traditional Chinese medicine is also "balance", considering disease is the result of bias which present the imbalance of "Yin counters Yang", "exterior counters interior", "cold counters heat" and "weak counters strong". The Chinese herbal compound formula preparation was applied on disease therapy based on theory of Chinese medicine, which was confirmed by long period clinical application. It is composed of multi-compounds and has the characteristic of multi-targeting. Integrative medicine has spawned pan-immunomics, and the evaluation of immune function (immune balance) has become an important basis for diagnosis and treatment models of integrative medicine. In addition, balance is the core idea of whole-systemic conception of traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, we speculate that immune balance under pan-immunomic can bridge the traditional Chinese medicine and modern integrative medicine and is the important basis for objective syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine and evaluation criteria of traditional Chinese medicine compounds. According to the bridging theory, we attempt to utilize informatics and statistical methods to construct an evaluation system for pharmacodynamics of traditional Chinese medicine based on its moderate regulation and the balanced adjustment of immunity under pan-immunomic, which further reveal the scientific essence of the whole-systemic view of traditional Chinese medicine. This research brings out a new valuable strategy and provides a theoretical basis for accelerating the transformation of traditional Chinese medicine, especially the exploitation of Chinese herbal compound formula, and constructing the new drug innovation and review system for traditional Chinese medicine. Besides as a reference for traditional Chinese medicine objective syndrome and pharmacodynamics of traditional Chinese medicine compounds, the evaluation system can screen the immunity of sub-health population also. With the continuous accumulation of clinical sample and data, the evaluation system will be more accurate and intelligent.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Syndrome ; Yin-Yang

The aim of this paper was to study the effect of Lepidium meyenii(Maca) on cyclic nucleotides, neurotransmitter levels and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and immunization of deficiency-cold and deficiency-heat syndrome rats, in order to explore the cold and hot medicinal properties of Maca. SD rats were divided into blank group, deficiency-cold syndrome group, Cinnamomi Cortex of deficiency-cold syndrome(30 g·kg~(-1)) group, high and low-dose Maca groups(2.4, 1.2 g·kg~(-1)), deficiency-heat syndrome group, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex(PCC) of deficiency-heat syndrome(5 g·kg~(-1)), and high and low-dose Maca groups(2.4, 1.2 g·kg~(-1)). The rats were treated with intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone(20 mg·kg~(-1)) or dexamethasone sodium phosphate(0.35 mg·kg~(-1)) for 21 days to set up the deficiency-cold and deficiency-heat model. The levels of cAMP, cGMP, NE, DA, 5-HT, CRH, ACTH, CORT and IgM, IgG, C3, C4 were detected by radio immunoassay. Both the high-dose Maca group and the low-dose Maca group can significantly improve the overall state and body weight of rats with deficiency-cold syndrome(P<0.01, P<0.05), significantly increasing cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, NE, DA, ACTH(P<0.01, P<0.001), and significantly decreasing 5-HT(P<0.01, P<0.001). However, high-dose and low-dose Maca groups could not improve the deficiency-heat syndrome, and the levels of cAMP, cGMP, cAMP/cGMP, NE, DA, 5-HT and ACTH were not statistically significant. Maca had a significant regulatory effect on CORT, IgM, IgG and C3 content of rats with deficiency-cold and deficiency-heat syndrome(P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.001). Maca showed the same effect with Cinnamomi Cortex in adjusting the levels of deficiency-cold rats, but in opposition to Phellodendri Chinese Cortex. This paper confirmed that Maca was slightly warm based on its effect on cyclic nucleotide levels and neuro-endocrine-immune networks by the pharmacological experimental method.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Endocrine System/drug effects* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Immune System/drug effects* ; Lepidium/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Nervous System/drug effects* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Nucleotides, Cyclic ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Temperature

In recent years increased studies on the relationship between addictive drugs abuse and infectious diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have shown that these drugs, including heroin, marijuana and cocaine, not only alter the abusers' neuropsychological and pathophysiological responses, but also impair their immune functions. The possible mechanisms may include the direct effect on immune cells or an indirect method ( e. g., stimulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis). The correlation between intravenous drug users (IVDUs) and human immunodeficiency virus infections has led to the proposal that the immunomodulation mediated by additive drugs is a major factor contributing to the progression of AIDS in IVDUs. Immunosuppression caused by drug abuse may increase the susceptibility to opportunistic infections, while drug abusers' lifestyles also increase exposure risk to infectious pathogens. In summary, increased infection risks and drug-mediated immunomodulation increase drug abusers' susceptibility to infectious pathogens.
Disease Susceptibility ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; physiology ; Infection ; etiology ; Narcotics ; adverse effects ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; complications

Traditional Chinese medicine Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f( TWHF) is a natural botanical drug in China. It has complex chemical compositions and has been used for a long history. TWHF was used as an insecticide to protect crops at early stage,and it was later found to have significant effects in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,attaining great concerns. With further researches,it was found that TWHF can treat various diseases in the medical field due to a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-cancer,neuroprotection,anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressing,particularly. Multiple extracts of TWHF have unique immunosuppressive function,playing an immune role through multi-target and multi-channel,with significant effect in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. As an immune-suppressing drug,TWHF is worthy of in-depth research due to its broad application prospects. While achieving good clinical efficacy,reports about its toxic effects to multiple systems of the body are also increasing,greatly hindering its clinical application. In order to fully understand the immune-suppressing function of TWHF and reduce or avoid the occurrence of toxic and side effects,we summarized recent progress of TWHF on the immune organs,cells and factors in recent years,as well as the pharmacology and toxic effects,hoping to provide a scientific and reasonable reference for its wider use in clinical treatment.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

STUDY DESIGN: A Multicenter double-blind randomized clinical study comparing Neurotropin and Aceclofenac. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic effect, efficacy and safety of Neurotropin in patients with low back pain. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Non steroidal anti inflammatory analgesics are used as the main medical treatment in patients with low back pain. However, complications, such as gastrointestinal or cardiovascular problems, have been well documented. Neurotropin acts to recover the analgesic state arising from a decrease in pain threshold and has a completely different mechanism to that of existing anti-inflammatory and narcotic analgesics, with its action of restoring the immune system having been confirmed. MATERIALS & METHOD: 376 patients with back pain were randomly divided into two groups; one group was administered Neurotropin and the other Aceclofenac. The overall improvement after 4 weeks was used as the first efficacy variable, and with the second efficacy variable the improvements in spontaneous pain, tenderness, motion pain, radiating pain, severity, pain intensity, and the overall severity and Oswestry Disability Indices were used as the evaluation criteria. To evaluate safety, the abnormal clinical response and alternations on physical examination and the clinical laboratory values were used. RESULTS: A total of 358 patients received the experimental and comparison drugs, of which 351 were evaluated for safety. The overall improvement after 4 weeks, severity of symptoms, overall severity, and the pain intensity and Oswestry Disability Indices were decreased in both groups, but the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. The overall decrease in the severity was greater in the Aceclofenac group, but both groups had statistically meaningful decreases after the administration of the drugs. i.e. Adverse drug reactions were less in the Neurotropin group, but these showed no significant statistical difference. CONCLUSIONS: Neurotropin and Aceclofenac are equally effective in patients with low back pain, but in terms of safety from a clinical view point Neurotropin is more reliable.
Analgesics ; Back Pain ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Humans ; Immune System ; Low Back Pain* ; Narcotics ; Pain Threshold ; Physical Examination

Vaccines require optimal adjuvants including immunopotentiator and delivery systems to offer long term protection from infectious diseases in animals and man. Initially it was believed that adjuvants are responsible for promoting strong and sustainable antibody responses. Now it has been shown that adjuvants influence the isotype and avidity of antibody and also affect the properties of cell-mediated immunity. Mostly oil emulsions, lipopolysaccharides, polymers, saponins, liposomes, cytokines, ISCOMs (immunostimulating complexes), Freund's complete adjuvant, Freund's incomplete adjuvant, alums, bacterial toxins etc., are common adjuvants under investigation. Saponin based adjuvants have the ability to stimulate the cell mediated immune system as well as to enhance antibody production and have the advantage that only a low dose is needed for adjuvant activity. In the present study the importance of adjuvants, their role and the effect of saponin in immune system is reviewed.
Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; ISCOMs ; pharmacology ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; Panax ; Sapogenins ; Saponins ; pharmacology