Published online Sep 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i33.5218
Revised: December 5, 2004
Accepted: December 9, 2004
Published online: September 7, 2005
AIM: To investigate the antitumor and synergistic effect of Chinese medicine “Bushen huayu jiedu recipe” (recipe for invigorating the kidney, removing blood stasis and toxic substances) and chemotherapy on mice hepatocarcinoma.
METHODS: Bushen huayu jiedu recipe (BSHYJDR) consisting of Chinese Cassia Bark, Psoralea, Zedoary, Rhubarb, etc. is equal to 1.5 g/mL liquid of originated herbs after being decocted, filtered, and concentrated. Kunming mice, weighing 18-22 g, were injected with 0.2 mL ascitic hepatocarcinoma H22 containing 1×107 cells/mL into armpit of the right forelimb of mice. After 24 h, the mice were weighed and randomly divided into tumor-bearing model control group, cisplatin (DDP) group, BSHYJDR high dosage group, low dosage BSHYJDR group, DDP combined with high and low dosage BSHYJDR group, 10 mice in each group. DDP group received injection intraperitoneally (ip) at the dosage of 1 mg/kg (equal to 1/10 LD50), once a day for 4 d. High and low dosage BSHYJDR groups received intragastric BSHYJDR at the dosages of 26.6 and 13.3 g/kg (20 and 10 times each of clinical adult dosage) respectively, while tumor-bearing model group received the equal volume of distilled water once a day for 10 d. On the 11th d, the mice were weighed and killed, then the tumor was dissected and weighed, the repression rate (RR) was calculated according to the mean weight of tumor (MWT).
RESULTS: Compared to the model group (MWT: 1.30±0.73), DDP group (MWT: 0.41±0.09, RR: 68.46%) had a significant difference in the inhibition of hepatocarcinoma H22 (P<0.01). High dosage BSHYJDR group (MWT: 0.69±0.29, RR: 46.92%) also had a significant difference in inhibition (P<0.05), while no difference was found in low dosage BSHYJDR group (MWT: 0.85±0.34, RR: 34.62%) (P>0.05). When DDP was combined with high dosage BSHYJDR (MWT: 0.29±0.17, RR: 77.69%) and low dosage BSHYJDR (MWT: 0.38±0.21, RR: 70.77%) respectively, we could see improvement of the inhibition effect of DDP on transplanted hepatocarcinoma H22. DDP combined with high dosage BSHYJDR had a significant difference (P<0.001) compared to DDP, while DDP combined with low dosage BSHYJDR only had a little improvement that is not remarkable.
CONCLUSION: Chinese medicine BSHYJDR in combination with chemotherapy can inhibit transplanted hepatocarcinoma in mice.