Immunomodulatory effects of a traditional Chinese medicine with potential antiviral activity: a self-control study.

摘要: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for prevention and treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong during the outbreak spring 2003. We investigated immunomodulating effects an innovative TCM regimen derived from two herbal formulas (Sang Ju Yin Yu Ping Feng San) treating febrile diseases. Thirty-seven healthy volunteers were given oral daily 14 days. Peripheral venous blood samples taken on days 0, 15 29 hematology, biochemistry immunology tests, including measurement lymphocyte subsets plasma T-helper types 1 2 cytokines receptor. After 3 months, 23 participated a control study without same time course tests. Two withdrew day 2, due to headache dizziness. All others remained well any side effects. No participants showed significant changes their test results, except that T-lymphocyte CD4/CD8 ratio increased significantly 1.31 +/- 0.50 (mean SD) 0 1.41 0.63 (p < 0.02), reduced 1.32 0.47 0.05). In study, there no ratio. The transient increase was likely intake. postulate administration may have beneficial immunomodulatory preventing viral infections SARS.