Dou-Mong Hau

Liposomal delivery system for taxol

Abstract Encapsulation of taxol (paclitaxel) by liposomes provides an environment that enhances the solubility of taxol and avoids side effects caused by Cremophor EL, the emulsifier currently used. In this study, a suitable formula and production method for the liposomal delivery system were investigated. A combination of bath-type sonication and passage through ultrafiltration membranes was found to be the best way to produce liposomes particles of uniform size in the range of 100–200 nm. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol in a 7 : 3 lipid molar ratio together with 40%, cholesterol, 25% α-tocopherol and 3% taxol (in mol/mol lipids), further resulted in liposomes with homogeneous and stable particle sizes. This taxol delivery method was found to have superior therapeutic effects in tests conducted on mice with transplanted liver tumors in comparison with taxol delivered in ethanol/Cremophor EL formula.

Combined Effects of Chuling (Polyporus umbellatus) Extract and Mitomycin C on Experimental Liver Cancer

Chuling (Polyporus umbellatus), one of the commonly used Chinese medical herbs, was combined with mitomycin C and then studied against intrahepatic implantation of sarcoma 180 tumor cells in mice. Oral administration of chuling extract, intraperitoneal injection of mitomycin C and the combination of both increased the life span of tumor-bearing mice 71.6%, 70.1% and 119.9%, respectively. The same treatments were found to be cytotoxic to Sarcoma-180-induced liver tumor cells. The synthetic rates of DNA, RNA and protein were all inhibited measurably by the combined treatment. Histopathological studies showed that lymphocytes infiltrated and surrounded the cancer cells, and there was some fibrosis found in normal cells and cancer cells. These results indicate the potential use of chuling as an anticancer agent.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum and krestin on cellular immunocompetence in γ-ray-irradiated mice

The effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Gl) and Krestin (PSK) extracts on cellular immunocompetence, leukocyte counts and differential count in γ-irradiated mice were investigated in this study. ICR strain male mice were used and randomly divided into five groups. Group A is normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with Gl. Group C, the radiation treatment control, was treated with whole body exposure to 4 Gy γ-irradiation (RT). Group D was treated with RT and Gl. Group E was treated with RT and PSK. The dosage of Gl was 400 mg/day/kg body weight and PSK was 500 mg/day/kg body weight. After irradiation, six mice from each group were sacrificed on day 7 and the other six on day 28. Cellular immunocompetence was measured by means of 3H-thymidine incorporation with splenic cells stimulated through mitogens such as PHA, Con A and LPS. The results revealed that relative splenic weight in Groups D and E were higher than group C on day 28 after γ-irradiation, Group D was the highest in all the experimental groups. Leukocyte counts were decreased significantly in Groups D and E on day 7, the former was a little higher than the latter. Gl administration showed an increase in the leukocyte count in Group D on day 28. The blastogenic response of splenocytes to PHA and Con A in groups D and E were higher than in Group C on days 7 and 28. We suggested that Gl and PSK were effective in enhancing the recovery of cellular immunocompetence from γ-ray irradiation.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum and Krestin on subset T-cell in spleen of γ-irradiated mice

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Gl) and Krestin (PSK) extracts on spleen, thymus and splenocytes in γ-irradiated mice were investigated in this study. ICR strain male mice were divided into five groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with Gl. Group C, the radiation treatment control, was treated with whole body exposure to 4 Gy γ-irradiation (RT). Group D was treated with RT and Gl. Group E was treated with RT and PSK. The dosage of Gl was 400 mg/day/kg body weight and PSK was 500 mg/day/kg body weight. Our results indicated that the relative thymus weight in groups D and E were higher than group C on day 28 after γ-irradiation. Group D was the highest in all the experimental groups. CD4 and CD8 splenocytes in group D were higher than group C on days 7 and 28. Gl was better than PSK in repairing the damage of subset T-cells in the spleen of γ-irradiated mice.

Protective effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum in γ-irradiated mice

Radiation protective effects of Gynostemma Pentaphyllum (Gp) were investigated in γ-irradiated mice. Animals were sacrificed on days 5, 15, 25 and 35 after γ-irradiation. GOT, GPT, serum IgG and leukocyte counts were measured. Proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by mitogens, such as PHA, Con A, and LPS were detected and compared. The results showed that all parameters measured in this study were decreased and proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by mitogens were repressed in γ-irradiated mice. Gp helped to recover the decreased leukocyte counts, GOT, GPT and IgG in serum and the proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by PHA, LPS and Con A in the γ-ray irradiated mice.

Effects of Kuei-Pi-Tang on Cellular Immunocompetence of γ-Irradiated Mice

Kuei-Pi-Tang is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine which has been suggested to have therapeutic effects on hemato-deficient disease and radiation injuries. In order to further investigate its protection function, this study is focused on the efficacy of Kuei-Pi-Tang on cellular immunocompetence of γ-ray irradiated mice. ICR strain male mice were chosen and divided into several groups for their different treatments of 4 Gy γ-ray whole body irradiation and Kuei-Pi-Tang administration. After the treatments, six to eight mice from each group were sacrificed on days 1, 5, 12, 19, 26 and 33. The body and splenic weights of mice by different treatments were measured and the splenic cells separated thereafter. The changes of cellular immunocompetence in mice following treatments were measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation. The results revealed that 4 Gy of γ-ray irradiation inhibits the increases of body and splenic weights and exerts a pronounced inhibitory effect on the incorporative rates of 3H-thymidine i...

Therapeutic Effects of Moxibustion on Experimental Tumor

This work investigated the therapeutic effects of the improved form of moxibustion (MT) on experimental tumor. Sarcoma 180 cells (1 x 10(7)) were transplanted into the subcutaneous tissue in the breast area of female ICR mice. Mice bearing a tumor were divided into one control and four experimental groups. The experimental groups were treated with MT for 1, 2, 3 and 4 times (abbreviated as MT1, MT2, MT3, MT4, respectively). This study showed that the experimental group treated with MT3 displayed the optimal therapeutic response. The longest mean survival time (87.8 days) within 120 days after treatment of MT3 significantly differed from the control group (60.2 days). In addition, uptake of 86Rb-radioactive tracer significantly decreased in tumors treated with MT3. The improved form of moxibustion used in this study is a reliable model of localized hyperthermia in tumor therapy.

Effects of Glycyrrhizae and Glycyrrhizic acid on radiation injury in mice.

The effects of Glycyrrhizae (GL) and Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on promoting the recovery of mice from radiation injury were investigated. Two hundred ICR strain male mice, 6-8 weeks old, were randomly divided into four groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with 4 Gy gamma-ray irradiation. Groups C and D, the experimental groups, were treated with 500 mg/kg of GL (oral administration) and 5 mg/kg body weight of GA (i.p.), respectively, for ten days after gamma-ray irradiation. Eight mice in each group were sacrificed on days 5, 12, 26 and 33 post irradiation to measure the weights of spleen, thymus and testes, and the biosynthetic rates of DNA in these organs. The results revealed that 4 Gy gamma-ray irradiation evidently inhibited the weights of spleen, thymus and testes, and their DNA biosynthetic rates. GL and GA enhanced the recovery of these organs in mice from the injury of gamma-ray irradiation.

Combined Therapy of Mitomycin C and Chinese Medical Herbs on Experimental Liver Cancer

In this research, ICR male mice were chosen for intrahepatic implantation of sarcoma 180 tumor cells (1 x 10(7)). The mice were randomly divided into various groups 24 hours after implantation. One of the groups was the tumor control, the others were singly or combinedly treated with mitomycin C (MMC) and Shih Chuan-Ta-Pu-Tang (SCTPT) or Shi-Hung-One (SHO). The results revealed that the mortality rate (MR60) in the tumor control was 100% and the mean survival time (MST60) was 21.11 +/- 10.69 days. The best therapeutic effect appeared in the group treated with the combination of MMC and SHO, its MR6o was 55.0% and MST 60 was 47.0 +/- 13.4 days.

Effects of moxibustion on cellular immunocompetence of gamma-irradiated mice

The effects of moxibustion on cellular immunocompetence of gamma-irradiated mice were investigated in this study. A total of 240 male young mice (ICR strain), 6-8 weeks of age, were chosen and divided into three groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with 400 rad whole body gamma-irradiation. Group C, the experimental group, was treated with moxibustion (MT) after being exposed to gamma-irradiation. Six to eight mice from each group were sacrificed on days 1, 5, 12, 19, 26 and 33 post-irradiation. The body and splenic weights of mice in each group were measured. The cellular immunocompetence was measured by 3H-thymidine uptake in each experimental mouse. The results revealed that 400 rad of gamma-ray irradiation inhibited the increase of body and splenic weights, and exerted a pronounced inhibitory effect on the incorporative rates of 3H-thymidine after being stimulated by mitogens such as PHA, PWM, Con A and LPS in the splenic lymphoid cells. MT seemed to help the recovery of the cellular immunocompetence in the gamma-ray irradiated mice.