[Effect of Epimedium sagittatum on quality of life and cellular immunity in patients of hemodialysis maintenance].

Our previous study had demonstrated that Chinese medicine Epimedium Sagittatum (ES) exerted immuno-enhancing effect on the animal model of chronic renal insufficiency. In present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of ES on patients of hemodialysis maintenance. 22 cases of regular hemodialytic patients were treated with ES in the form of decoction. 12 patients with hemodialysis were served as controls. It was found that ES had sexual potentiation effect and improved the quality of life in the patients of chronic renal failure with regular hemodialysis. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) activity of peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) stimulated by PHA was increased significantly in the patients treated with ES. It was suggested that Chinese medicine ES had therapeutic effect on sexual disorder and immunologic inadequacy in the patients of chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis.