Effects of the Japanese herbal medicine ?Sho-Saiko-To? (TJ-9) onin vitro interleukin-10 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

hepatitis C virus, making many patients uneasy. Under such ''Sho-saiko-to'' (TJ-9) consists of 7 herbal components.circumstances, interferon (IFN) was reported to be effective In Japan, it is widely prescribed to patients with chronic in chronic hepatitis C. 1-4 IFN became acceptable therapy for viral liver disease. TJ-9 is known to suppress liver canhepatitis C under the national insurance coverage in 1992; cer development and possess macrobiotic effects, but its the resulting expenses of this treatment have been substanmode of action is not fully understood. This study investial. In some patients, the hepatitis C virus was completely tigated the following: 1) cytokine production levels, eliminated from the body and hepatitis apparently cured. mainly interleukin (IL)-10, in peripheral blood mononuHowever, unfortunately, IFN was effective in only 30% to clear cells of chronic active hepatitis B and C patients, 40% of treated patients. IFN was ineffective in patients who and healthy volunteers; 2) effects of TJ-9 on these prohad high virus levels or advanced histological grades. In addiductions; and 3) effects of each of its herb components tion, some patients were withdrawn from treatment due to on cytokine production in cell fractions. Results showed side effects. For these ineffective cases in IFN therapies, and that without stimulants, IL-10 production in mononufor those who had poor tolerability to IFN, the most widely clear cells of hepatitis B and C patients was significantly prescribed oral medicines in Japan are the following: herbal lower than that of healthy subjects (P õ .01). IL-10 production induced by either phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or medicine ''Sho-saiko-to'' (TJ-9; Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang in Chipokeweed mitogen (PWM) in mononuclear cells of hepa-nese) and ursodesoxycholic acid, and by intravenous injectitis C patients were significantly lower than in patients tion, strong neominophagen C. with hepatitis B (P õ .01) and healthy subjects (P õ .05).In Japan, many herbal medicines, which originated and IL-10 production induced by anti-CD3 or lipopolysaccha-have been used for several thousand years in China, are manride (LPS) was significantly lower than in healthy sub-ufactured with uniform quality and quantity of components jects (P õ .05). The addition of TJ-9 to the cultures as drugs for hospital uses. These medicines have received strongly induced IL-10, and this induction was mainly official approval, have been used by Japan's Western mediattributable to the effects of 2 components (scutellaria cine practitioners for 20 years, and their clinical efficacy has root and glycyrrhiza root) on the monocyte/macrophage been well recognized. Among them, TJ-9, which has been fraction. The production of IL-4 and IL-5 in cultures with used in treatment for pyretic diseases in China, is well known concanavalin A (conA) was significantly higher in pa-for gradually improving subjective symptoms and abnormal tients with hepatitis C than in the healthy subjects (P õ liver functions of patients with chronic viral live...

Hepatotoxicity of botanicals

“…It has been shown lately in both human and animal studies that Sho-saiko-to is capable of preventing hepatocellular carcinoma and ®brosis in humans, an observation which was consecutively supported by experimental data from in vivo and in vitro studies 26±28 . Similarly, cell culture work on interleukin-10 production in patients with chronic hepatitis C indicates that this may halt the progression of the disease 29 . Other work suggests a positive effect of another Chinese herbal preparation on the course of chronic hepatitis C 30 .…”

Effect of Herbal Medicine Keishi-To (TJ-45) and Its Components on Rat Pancreatic Acinar Cell Injuries in vivo and in vitro

“…There has been no report on the antipancreatitic effect of TJ-45. Since TJ-9 has been reported to have pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating and antifibrotic effects [14][15][16][17], we considered that most of the beneficial effects of TJ-10 would be due to the effects of TJ-9. However, TJ-45 showed remarkable antipancreatitic effects.…”

“…TJ-10 is composed of two herbal medicines, Sho-saiko-to (TJ-9) and Keishi-to (TJ-45). TJ-9 has been used mainly to treat hepatic and respiratory diseases, and anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antifibrotic effects have been reported [14][15][16][17]. TJ-45 has been used to treat the common cold in patients with decreased body functions [18].…”

Herbal products for liver diseases: A therapeutic challenge for the new millennium

“…56,57 Other in vitro effects that are related to the observed antitumour activity of sho-saiko-to include upregulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase in hepatocytes cultured in the presence of interferon ␥ 58 and inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in hepatoma cells. 59,60 The extract modulated the in vitro cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, stimulated release of tumor necrosis factor-␣ and granulocyte-colonystimulating factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and down-regulated synthesis of interleukin-4 and -5 in favor of interleukin-10 in patients with chronic hepatitis C. 61,62 Other in vitro effects include stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and down-regulation of interleukin-4 and -5 in favor of interleukin-10 in patients with chronic hepatitis C. 61,62 In the rat model of dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver injury, the extract sho-saiko-to protected liver synthetic function 63 and restored hepatic retinoid levels. 64 Sho-saiko-to reduced hepatic collagen content in the rat models of fibrosis due to choline-deficiency, 65 dimethylnitrosamine, and pig serum.…”