RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy and side effects of Shelian capsule (SLC) as adjuvant of embolismic chemotherapy on primary hepatic carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty patients with hepatic carcinoma were conducted arterial embolismic chemotherapy with FAM program for two therapeutic cycles. The 60 patients in the treated group were taken SLC orally for auxiliary treatment, and the other 60 in the control group were given glucurolactone instead. The tumor size, Karnofsky score, clinical symptoms, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), NK cell, T cell-subgroup and adverse effect before and after treatment between the two groups were compared respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared with the control group, in the treated group the Karnofsky score was better ((P < 0.05) and the remission rate of clinical symptom were superior (66.7% vs 88.3 %, P < 0.05). The ratio of CD4/CD8 and NK cell activity was significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). There was no obvious adverse effect in the treated group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SLC can effectively enhance the immunity of patients with tumor, remit clinical symptoms, improve quality of life and without any side effects.</p>