Experimental Study On Antineoplastic Effect Of Active Fractions From Shenmai

Objective To investigate the antineoplastic effects of active fractions from shenmai (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and to study preliminarily their mechanisms in the treatment of tumor.Methods The mouse tumor model was used to investigate the effects of active fractions from shenmai on tumor growth and the weights of immune organs. The graft tumor model was used to investigate the effect of total saponins from shenmai on tumor growth and the lifetime of mice, also to study whether the effect of CTX on tumor growth was increased when total saponins were administered together with CTX. In vitro, the effects of active fractions from shenmai on proliferation of ECV-304 cell and gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 as well as ECV-304 cell induced by conditioned medium of tumor were measured by MTT colorimetric assay. The effects of active fractions from shenmai on the migration of ECV-304 cell were by agarose assay.Results The tumor suppressing rates of total saponins and total astragalans from shenmai were 47.18% and 26.06%. The difference was determined in statistics. Total saponins and total astragalans could increase the index of thymus in mice with graft tumor, but they made no influence on theindex of spleen. When the concentration of total saponins from shenmai varied from low to high, total saponins were able to inhibit tumor growth and prolong the lifetime of the tumor mice in a dose-dependent pattern. The effect of CTX on tumor growth was increased and the immunosuppressed effect of CTX was relieved when total saponins were administered together with CTX. Total saponins from shenmai were able to inhibit the proliferation of ECV-304 cell and ECV-304 cell induced by conditioned medium of tumor, but they made no influence on the proliferation of SGC-7901 cell; there was no influence of total astragalans from shenmai on the proliferation of ECV-304 cell and gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 as well as ECV-304 cell induced by conditioned medium of tumor. Total saponins could significantly inhibit the migration of ECV-304 induced by FBS in a dose-dependent pattern, but there was no influence of total astragalans from shenmai on the migration of ECV-304 cell.Conclusions Two active fractions from shenmai (total saponins and total astragalans) could inhibit the growth of graft tumor in mice, but the effect of total saponins was stronger. The suppressing effect of CTX on tumor growth was increased when total saponins were administered together with CTX. Total saponins could inhibit the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. The antineoplastic mechanism of total saponins was probably involved in inhibiting the angiogenesis of tumor. Total saponins may constitute the material basis of antineoplastic agents from shenmai.