CONCOMITANT IMMUNITY AGAINST TUMOR-DEVELOPMENT IS ENHANCED BY THE ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF A KAMPO MEDICINE, HOCHU-EKKI-TO (TJ-41-BU-ZHONG-YI-QI-TANG)

The oral administration of a kampo herbal medicine, Hochu-ekki-to (TJ- 41: Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang) using a water-Supplying bottle resulted in a slight but significant inhibition of Meth A growth. The oral administr ation of TJ-41 with gastric gavage significantly enhanced the specific antitumor activity against Meth A at rechallenge on day 9. In a tumor -neutralizing assay, the tumor draining LN cells of the TJ-41 administ ered mice showed an antitumor activity against Meth A. In a cytolytic assay, the anti-Meth A specific cytolytic T lymphocyte activity was no t detected in the spleen cells of the Meth A bearing and TJ-41 adminis tered mice. The oral administration of TJ-41 enhanced the natural kill er (NK) activity of the spleen cells in naive mice but could not impro ve the decreased NK activity of spleen cells from the tumor bearing mi ce. In a cytostatic assay, the peritoneal exudate cells from the Meth A bearing and TJ-41 administered mice showed a significantly higher am ount of cytostatic activity against Meth A than that from either Meth A bearing or TJ-41 administered mice. These results indicate that the oral administration of TJ-41 into the tumor bearing mice may thus be a ble to enhance concomitant antitumor immunity through the augmentation of the cytostatic activity.