Extract of North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), administered to leukemic, juvenile mice extends their life span.

In a recent study involving normal, juvenile mice, we showed that CVT-E002, a proprietary extract (Afexa Life Sciences, Inc.) of North American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, significantly enhanced the absolute levels of cells acting at the first line of defense in tumor combat, i.e., natural killer (NK) cells. The present study evaluated the effect of CVT-E002, on life span when administered intraperitoneally to leukemic, infant/juvenile mice. The extract was administered to groups of mice daily for 14 days in several dosing groups up to 50mg/day from age 7 to 21 days. The tumor was administered intraperitoneally under sterile conditions, in a laminar flow hood at 7 days of age (0.5 x 10(6) leukemic cells), immediately preceding the first CVT-E002 injection for each dose group. The data revealed that CVT-E002 significantly extends the life of leukemic, young mice in a dose-specific manner, i.e., 20 mg/day was effective in extending life, while lower doses of 5, 10 mg as well as higher doses of 30, 40, 50 mg per day were completely ineffective. We have already shown that CVT-E002 significantly elevates NK cells in normal and leukemic, adult mice, as well as in normal, infant/juvenile mice, and we have also shown that CVT-E002 significantly extends the life span of leukemic, adult mice. The results of the present study did indeed show that (i) CVT-E002 extends the life span of leukemic, infant/juvenile mice, and (ii) that the dose of CVT-E002 is critical in achieving life span augmentation in these leukemic infant/juvenile mice.

CVT-E002 stimulates the immune system and extends the life span of mice bearing a tumor of viral origin.

The present study evaluated the dose-related effects of CVT-E002, a proprietary extract of Panax quinquefolius (CV Technologies Inc., Edmonton, AB), in the treatment of a tumor of viral origin, that is, erythroleukemia, in mice. Three treatments including ingestion of 2, 40, and 120 mg/d were compared. The study revealed that the dose of 40 mg/d was particularly effective in stimulating cells mediating nonspecific immunity and extending the life span of tumor-bearing mice. This study represents the first in vivo demonstration of the anticancer efficacy of CVT-E002 in an animal model. CVT-E002 treatment significantly elevated the absolute numbers of natural killer cells and monocytes and reduced the number of tumor cells in the bone marrow and spleen. This study has shown that (1) approximately 30 to 50% of tumor-bearing mice administered CVT-E002 at a dose of 40 mg/d achieved a significantly extended life span, and (2) dosage is critical in producing these ameliorative effects.

Dietary consumption of Echinacea by mice afflicted with autoimmune (type I) diabetes: effect of consuming the herb on hemopoietic and immune cell dynamics.

Epidemiological studies indicate that the incidence of Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease, is rising rapidly. However, none of the current therapies produces life long remission, or can prevent the disease onset. The NOD (non-obese diabetic) mouse is currently regarded as an excellent animal model of human Type 1 diabetes. NKT cells are known to be fundamental in modulating the disease, yet they are numerically and functionally deficient in mammals bearing this disease. Indeed, the role of NK cells in inhibiting autoimmunity in general is well established. Immunoregulatory strategies are currently believed to be the way of the future with respect to modulating autoimmune diseases. Based on this hypothesis, and the fact that the herb, Echinacea, is a well demonstrated immunostimulant of NK cells in normal mice/humans, we aimed to investigate, in NOD mice, the effect of short term (days) and long term (months) daily dietary administration of Echinacea, on the absolute levels of NK cells, and five other classes of hemopoietic and immune cells, in the bone marrow and spleen. The results revealed that, in NOD mice, dietary Echinacea, resulted in a significant increase in the absolute numbers of NK cells, irrespective of feeding duration, in the spleen, and moreover, it actually stimulated NK cell production in their bone marrow birth site. We further found that there were transient, early (days), herb exposure-time-dependent, quantitative changes in several of the other hemopoietic and immune cells populations in both the bone marrow and spleen. We conclude that consumption of this herb by NOD mice, at least, has lead to no negative repercussions with respect to the hemopoietic and immune lineages, and secondly, the consistent, long-lasting immunostimulation only of NK cells, may lead to a possible new approach to the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.