Regulation On Immunological And Biochemical Function In Rats By Water Extract From Cultured Mycelium Of Paecilomyces Cicadae

To investigate the changes of immunological and biochemical parameters in normal and immunosuppressed rats due to cyclophosphamide(Cy) after subcutaneous injection of water extract from the cultured mycelium of Paecilomyces cicadae(P. cicadae), and to explore the enhancement of P. cicadae on immunological and biochemical function, the rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group( I ),Cy group (II )J*. cicadae group(ni), (Cy+P.cicadae) group(IV).The rats were bred in the same circumstance and were administered with corresponding drugs by subcutaneous injection for 26 days. After administering water extract from the cultured mycelium of P. cicadae to normal rats and Cy-immunosuppressed rats, the following results were observed: (1) The spleen weight (splenic coefficient) increased remarkably in normal rats and immunological organs (spleen and thymus) atrophy induced by Cy were inhibited; (2) Not only the number of white blood cell(WBC) in peripheral blood in normal rats was significantly elevated, but also the decrease of WBC in Cy-immunosuppressed rats were inhibited obviously ;(3) The levels of total proteins and globulin in the serum in normal rats were notably enhanced, and the reduction of the contents of hemoglobin and the total proteins and globulin in the blood in Cy-immunosuppressed rats were resumed; (4) The decrease of the activities of ACP and LDH in liver, spleen , kidney, and thymus of Cy- immunosuppressed rats was antagonized evidently, and the ACP activity in kidney and LDH activity in thymus of normal rats were enhancedsignificantly; (5)The activities of ACP and LDH in AMO and PMO of normal rats were elevated significantly, and the reduction of the activities of ACP and LDH in AMO and PM of Cy- immunosuppressed rats was notably antagonized; (6) The power of AM <& and PM phagocytizing the neutral red were strengthened significantly not only in normal rats but also in Cy-immunosuppressed rats (P < 0.001 .respectively); (7) The splenic M O showed auxetic growth, and the number of lysosomes in MO cytoplasm and the gibbosity on the M O surface increased evidently, and the number of lymphocytes also obviously raised in normal rats through electron microscope (EMS) examination. These results indicated that P. cicadae not only can promote hematopoiesis and improve the nutrition, but also can activate macrophages and strengthen nonspecific immune function and antagonize the immunosuppressive effects of cyclophosphamide. These results further substantiate the fact that P. cicadae is an immunoregulator/biological response modifier of immunity and may be potentially useful in handling immumosuppressed and immunodeficient patients.