Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop a treatment for immune and hematopoietic system dysfunction in cancer patients. We induced immunosuppression and hematopoietic dysfunction in mice by injection of cyclophosphamide (CPA) and treated the animals with Korean angelica extract (Angelica gigas Nakai), an oriental medicine. Mice were injected with CPA on days 1 and 3 and were orally administered the indicated treatment once daily on days 4 through 8. The animals were analyzed for changes in body weight, spleen weight, hematologic parameters and spleen content of interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-7 and IL-10. Treatment of animals with Korean angelica extract ameliorated the effects of CPA on body weight, spleen weight, blood composition and spleen cytokine content. Our results suggest that Korean angelica extract could be an excellent naturally derived therapeutic to treat immunosuppression and hematopoietic dysfunction caused by anticancer agents.

Key words: Korean angelica (Angelica gigas Nakai), cyclophosphamide, immune system activation, hematopoietic system activation.