OBJECTIVE: To study the immunological regulation and treatment of Brucea javanica and Fructus Psoraleae, traditional Chinese medicine, on rats with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). METHODS: Rats were injected subcutaneously by dexamethasone. When the rats got Pc infected, they were divided into two groups: rats in one group were treated with the mixture of Brucea javanica and Fructus Psoraleae and another group was used as infected control. Control with normal rats was also established. Observations were made on the number of cysts in lungs and the changes of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and TNF-alpha in the serum to demonstrate the immunological regulation and killing effect of the medicine on cysts in the infected rats. RESULTS: The body weight of the rats treated with Brucea javanica and Fructus Psoraleae increased considerably than that of immunosuppressed rats and the normal control. The damaged lung got improved and repaired, and a significant cyst reduction was shown in the treated group. The CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and level of TNF-alpha in serum also increased in the treated group significantly. CONCLUSION: The mixture of Brucea javanica and fructus psoraleae plays an immunological regulation on rats with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and shows certain killing effect on the cysts.
OBJECTIVE: To study the immunological regulation and treatment of Brucea javanica and Fructus Psoraleae, traditional Chinese medicine, on rats with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). METHODS:Rats were injected subcutaneously by dexamethasone. When the rats got Pc infected, they were divided into two groups: rats in one group were treated with the mixture of Brucea javanica and Fructus Psoraleae and another group was used as infected control. Control with normal rats was also established. Observations were made on the number of cysts in lungs and the changes of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and TNF-alpha in the serum to demonstrate the immunological regulation and killing effect of the medicine on cysts in the infected rats. RESULTS: The body weight of the rats treated with Brucea javanica and Fructus Psoraleae increased considerably than that of immunosuppressed rats and the normal control. The damaged lung got improved and repaired, and a significant cyst reduction was shown in the treated group. The CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and level of TNF-alpha in serum also increased in the treated group significantly. CONCLUSION: The mixture of Brucea javanica and fructus psoraleae plays an immunological regulation on rats with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and shows certain killing effect on the cysts.