Clinical studies of immunomodulatory activities of Yunzhi -Danshen in breast cancer and nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, and Lingzhi-San Miao San in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat chronic diseases and tumor allegedly by immunomodulatory mechanisms. Breast cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer are prevalent carcinoma diseases in Hong Kong. The immune system of such patients could be adversely affected during the course of conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the joints. The aim of this study was to assess the immunomodulatory effects of TCM Yunzhi-Danshen in auxiliary treatment of both kinds of cancer patients, and Lingzhi (Ganoderma Lucidum)-San Miao San ( Atractylodes lancea, Phellodendron amurense and Achyranthes bidentata B1) in supplementation treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.;Eighty-two patients with breast cancer, twenty-seven patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and sixty-five patients with rheumatoid arthritis in this study were selected based on voluntary, randomization and double blind grouping criteria.;Results showed that the absolute count of T helper lymphocytes (CD4+), the ratio of T helper lymphocytes (CD4+)/T suppressor and cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8+), and the percentage and the absolute count of B lymphocytes were significantly elevated in the patients with breast cancer after taking Yunzhi-Danshen capsules, while plasma soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) concentration was significantly decreased (all p < 0.05).;In nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, the decrease in percentage and the absolute count of T lymphocytes in the TCM group was significantly lower than those in the placebo group. Besides, the decrease of the absolute count of T helper and T suppressor in the TCM group was significantly lower than that in the placebo group (all p < 0.05). The decrease may be due to radiotherapy. However, there was no significant difference in plasma sIL-2R and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2) between the TCM group and the placebo group.;In rheumatoid arthritis patients, there was no significant difference in plasma. C-reactive protein (CRP), in the percentage, absolute count, and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+/NK/B lymphocytes between the TCM group and the placebo group.;This study shows that the selected traditional Chinese medicine have determinable immunomodulatory effects in patients with cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).