Positive Health Online

Abstract

WEI and co-workers, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei City, Anhui 230027, People's Republic of China, have shown that the traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus reverses the predominance of Th2 cytokines and their upstream transcription factors in lung cancer.

Background

Th2 cytokine is predominant in lung cancer patients and has been found to be associated with tumour progression. It is thought that a reversal of the Th2 predominant status could be a promising therapeutic approach for lung cancer.

Methodology

Mononuclear cells from the peripheral blood of 37 lung cancer patients were examined for cytokine secretion and gene expression.

Results

The cells examined were found to express a much lower amount of Th1 cytokine than Th2 cytokine, and also synthesized a much lower amount of the Th1 transcription factor, T-bet, than the corresponding Th2 transcription factor, GATA3. The traditional Chinese medicine, Astragalus, was found to reverse these relationships, elevating the levels of Th1 cytokine and lowering the levels of Th2 cytokine.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Astragalus might reverse the Th2 predominant state in lung cancer, and this opens the possibility for an alternative therapy for the future.

References

Wei H, Sun R, Xiao W, Feng J, Zhen C, Xu X, Tian Z. Traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus reverses predominance of Th2 cytokines and their up-stream transcript factors in lung cancer patients. Oncology Reports 10 (5): 1507-1512, Sep-Oct 2003.

Comment

The above research demonstrates the breadth of investigations occurring worldwide exploring the therapeutic efficacy of nutritional, herbal and Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment and prevention of a number of important cancers.