Immune Cell Activation and Co-X-irradiation Effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim Root / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the effects of immune cell activation and the antitumor effect for the combination of treatment with X-irradiation and Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim Root (ESMR) on mouse tumor cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ESMR (250g) was extracted with 80% methanol, concentrated under decompression and lyophilized. To determine whether ESMR is able to activate the immune cells or not, the proliferation of splenocytes in vitro and the number of B cells and T cells in splenic lymphocytes in ESMR-pretreated mice were evaluated. X-irradiation was given to the mouse fibrosarcoma tumor cells (FSa II) by 250 kv X-irradiation machine. The cytotoxicity of ESMR was evaluated from its ability to reduce the clonogenecity of FSa II cells. In X-irradiation alone group, each 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy was given to FSa II cells. In X-irradiation with ESMR group, 0.2 mg/ml of ESMR was exposed to FSa II cells for 1 hour before X-irradiation. RESULTS: The proliferation of cultured mouse splenocytes and thymocytes were enhanced by the addition of ESMR in vitro. The number of B cells and T cells in mouse splenic lymphocytes was significantly increased in ESMR pretreated mice in vivo. In FSa II cells that received a combination of 0.2 mg/ml of ESMR with X-irradiation exposure, the survival fraction with a dose of 2, 4 and 6 Gy was 0.39+/-0.005, 0.22+/-0.005 and 0.06+/-0.007, respectively. For FSa II cells treated with X-irradiation alone, the survival fraction with a dose of 2, 4 and 6 Gy was 0.76+/-0.02, 0.47+/-0.008 and 0.37+/-0.01. The difference in the survival fraction of the mouse FSa II cells treated with and without ESMR was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Treatment with ESMR increased cell viability of mouse splenocytes in vitro and especially the subpopulation of B cells and T cells in splenocytes in ESMR-pretreated mice. However, treatment with ESMR did not increase the level of Th and Tc subpopulations in the thymocytes. Treatment with the combination of ESMR and X-irradiation was more cytotoxic to mouse tumor cells than treatment with X-irradiation alone; this finding was statistically significant.

Cytotoxic Effect of X-irradiation of Mouse Tumor Cells in the Presence of Korean Ginseng Extract / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: We already reported the results that aqueous extract of Korean ginseng roots showed a marked cytotoxicity. In this study, we investigated whether combined ginseng product with X-irradiation increase the cytotoxicity of tumor cells than X-irradiation or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty gram of Korean ginseng powder mixed with 1 L of distilled water was extracted with reflux flask under condition of 100 degrees C for 5 hrs. This aquaous ginseng extract was filtered, centrifuged and then was freezed under condition of -90degrees C for 16-18 hrs. The freezing extract was dried with freeze drier, and then diluted. X-irradiation was given to tumor cells by 6 MeV linear accelerator. The cytotoxicity of ginseng in vitro was evaluated from its ability to reduce the clonogenecity of fibrosarcoma (FSa II) cells. In X-irradiation alone group, each 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy was given to tumor cells. In X-irradiation with ginseng group, 0.2 mg/mL of ginseng extract was exposed to tumor cells for 1 hour before X-irradiation. RESULTS: The yield for 50 g of ginseng extract which was treated with freezing drier was 3.13 g (6.3%). Cytotoxicity in vitro was measured as survival fraction which was judged from the curve, at ginseng concentration of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/mL were 0.89+/-0.04, 0.86+/-0.06, 0.73+/-0.01 and 0.09+/-0.02, respectively. Survival fraction at X-irradiation alone of 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy were 0.81+/-0.07, 0.42+/-0.08, 0.15+/-0.02, 0.03+/-0.01, respectively. But, survival fraction in combined group of X-irradiation and ginseng (0.2mg/mL) at each same radiation dose were 0.28+/-0.01, 0.18+/-0.03, 0.08+/-0.02, 0.006+/-0.002, respectively ( p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The yield for ginseng extract which was treated with freezing drier was 6.3%. Cytotoxicity of Fsa II in combined ginseng with X-irradiation group was increased than that of X-irradition alone group, and its enhancing effect seemed to be added.

Antitumor effect of Ganoderma lucidum: Cytotoxicity and Tumor Growth Delay(1) / 대한치료방사선과학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum(G.I.) on the survival of tumor cells in vitro and on the growth of tumors in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dried G.I. was made into powder, extracted with distilled water, filtered and diluted from a maximum concentration of 100 mg/ml in sequence. The cytotoxicity of G.O. in vitro was evaluated from its ability to reduce the clonogenicity of SCK tumor cells. For the tumor growth delay study, about 2' 105 of SCK tumor cells were subcutaneously inoculated in the legs of A/J mice. The first experimental group of mice were injected i.p. with 0.2ml of 250 mg/kg of G/I. From the first day after tumor inoculation for 10 days. The second experimental group of mice were injected i.p. with 0.2ml of 250 mg/kg of G.I. either once a day for 10 days or twice a day for 5 days beginning from the 7th day after tumor inoculation. RESULTS: 1. Cytotoxicity in vitro; survival fraction, as judged from the curve, at G.I. concentration of 0.5,1,5,10,25,50 and 100 mg/ml were 1.0, 0.74+/-0.03, 0.18+/-0.03, 0.15+/-0.02, 0.006+/-0.002, 0.015 and 0.0015, respectively. 2. Tumor growth delay in vivo; a) the time required for the mean tumor volume to grow to 1,000mm3 was 11 days in the control group and 14 days in the experimental group. b) the time required for tumor volume to increase 4 times was 11 days in the control group while it was 10.5 and 12 days in the groups injected with G.I. once a day and twice a day from the 7th day after tumor inoculation respectively. CONCLUSION: Aqueous extracts of G.I. showed a marked cytotoxicity on the SCK mammary cells in vitro. Tumor growth delay was statistically significant when G.I. injection was started soon after tumor inoculation, but it was not significant when injection was started after the tumors were firmly established.