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Milkvetch root improves immune function in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD

Issue title: Frontiers in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology – Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, 18–21 August 2015, Shanghai, China

Guest editors: Feng Liu, Dong-Hoon Lee, Ricardo Lagoa and Sandeep Kumar

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Jiang, Donglina; b | Wang, Xub | Su, Qiangb | Jiang, Shengyanga | Yuan, Fenglaia | Zhang, Caidib | Gong, Fanga | Dong, Qiaojingb | Shi, Jianpingb | Chen, Baohuab; *

Affiliations: [a] Wuxi Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital to Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China | [b] Department of Respiratory Diseases, Wuxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital to Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Baohua Chen, Department of Respiratory Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital to Nantong University; No. 585 Xing-Yuan North Road, Beitang District, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province; P.R. China 214041 Tel.: +8615301516183; Fax: +86 0510 82602557; E-mail: [email protected].

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, milkvetch root, immune function

DOI: 10.3233/BME-151517

Journal: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 26, no. s1, pp. S2113-S2121, 2015

Published: 2015
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Milkvetch root as a medicine has been used for more over 2000 years in China, can strengthen immune function, protect liver, promote urination, resist aging and stress, reduce blood pressure and extensively resist bacterium. This study explored the effects of milkvetch root on the immune function of patients with a definitive diagnosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. All patients received conventional clinical therapy; those in the experimental group were also administered milkvetch root. The serum levels of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-1β, and IL-32 and immunocytes including T helper (Th), cytotoxic T (Tc), natural killer (NK), regulatory T (Treg) and B cells were measured 1 day before treatment and 7 and 14 days post-treatment. After bronchodilator inhalation, pulmonary function was evaluated at these same time points. The serum TNF-α, IL-8, IL-1β, and IL-32 levels were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group 14 days post-treatment. The Th/Tc ratio and NK cell ratio was significantly higher but the Treg cell ratio was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group 14 days post-treatment. These results indicate that milkvetch root can improve the immune function of patients with acute exacerbation of COPD.

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