Repression of the Capacity to Produce Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha in Candida albicans-Infected Mice and Reversal of the Repression by Oral Juzen-taiho-to Treatment

• Published in: Nihon Ishinkin Gakkai zasshi Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 183 - 187
• Main Authors: Abe, Shigeru, Akagawa, Gen, Tansho, Shigeru, Ochi, Hisako, Osumi, Masako, Komatsu, Yasuhiro, Uchida, Katsuhisa, Yamaguchi, Hideyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japanese Society for Medical Mycology 1997
• Subjects: Candida albicans; Juzen taiho-to; macrophage; OK432; TNF
• ISSN: 0916-4804; 1882-0476
• DOI: 10.3314/jjmm.38.183

The effects of the kampo medicine, Juzen-taiho-to (TJ-48) on the capacity to produce tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) of Candida albicans-infected mice was examined. ICR mice was challenged intravenously with Candida albicans and given TJ-48, which had been reported to prolong the life span of Candida-infected mice, at 6hr after Candida infection. No TNF activity was detected in the sera of these mice within 24hr after the infection. Sera of the animals were tested 2hr after intraveneous injection of the TNF-inducer, OK432, to estimate the capacity to produce TNF. TNF levels of the sera of the OK432-injected mice infected 3-6hrs earlier or 24-48hrs earlier were significantly higher or lower than those of uninfected mice, respectively. Oral administration of TJ-48 significantly prevented repression of the capacity to produce TNF in C. albicans-infected mice.