Positive Health Online

Abstract

KURASHIGE and colleagues, Department of Medical Technology, College of Medical Care and Technology, Gunma University, Japan studied the effects of a Chinese herbal product upon carcinogenesis.

Background

Methodology

Shikaron is composed of 8 Chinese herbal extracts . The authors studied, in mice, its effects upon carcinogenesis, cytotoxic activity and cytokine production of lymphocytes following treatment with the carcinogen N-butyl-N-butanolnitrosoamine (BBN).

Results

There was a significant decrease in the incidence of urinary bladder cancer in mice treated with BBN plus 200 mg/kg/day Shikaron, compared to mice treated with BBN alone 25% versus 80% respectively. Shikaron protected the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes against YAC-1 cells from suppression by BBN. Compared to normal and BBN-treated mice, cytotoxic activity against P-815 cells was significantly increased in mice treated with BBN plus Shikaron, and Shikaron also protected the production of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma by lymphocytes from suppression by BBN.

Conclusion

These data strongly suggest that Shikaron exerts an anticarcinogenic effect in mice through activation of NK and LAK cells and cytokine production by T lymphocytes.

References

Kurashige S et al. Anticarcinogenic effects of shikaron, a preparation of eight Chinese herbs in mice treated with a carcinogen, N-butyl-Nbutanolnitrosoamine. Cancer Invest 16(3): 166-9. 1998 .