[Protective effect of oral administration of several traditional Kampo-medicines on lethal Candida infection in immunosuppressed mice].

The protective effects of a "hozai" type of Kampo medicine, Juzen-taiho-to (Shi-quan-da-bu-tang, TJ-48), Hochu-ekki-to (Bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang, TJ-41) or Ninjin-yoei-to (Ren-shen-yang-rong-tang, TJ-108) on experimental candidiasis in immunosuppressed mice were investigated. ICR mice, which were immunosuppressed by injection of cyclophosphamide or prednisolone, were given these medicines orally andchallenged intravenously with Candida albicans (day 0). Treatments with a daily dose of 1 g/kg/day of TJ-48 or that of 1 or 2 g/kg/day of TJ-108 for 4 consecutive days from day-4 significantly prolonged the survival time of the Candida-infected mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide. Treatments with a daily dose of 1 g/kg/day of TJ-48 for 4 consecutive days from day 0, but not from day -4, significantly prolonged the life span of the Candida-infected mice pretreated with prednisolone. On the basis of these results and previous findings, characteristics of these kampo medicines as therapeutic agents against candidiasis in immunosuppressed hosts were discussed.