Effect of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma on the Immune Function of Immunosuppressive Mice Induced by Cyclosporin A

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma on immune cells in immunosuppressive mice model. METHODS The model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cyclosporin A. After 5 d of modeling, the model was successful, modeled mice was randomly divided into model control group, levamisole treatment group(3.79 g·kg^-1, positive control group) and Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma low, medium, high dose(4.55, 9.1, 13.65 g·kg^-1) treatment group (n=16). After 5 d treatment, mice were sacrificed and tissues were collected, spleen and thymus were weighted, CD3⁺CD4⁺ and CD3⁺CD8⁺ amount were detected by flow cytometry, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ were detected by Elisa. RESULTS Compared with normal control group, spleen index increased significantly(P<0.05), thymus index and CD3⁺CD4⁺ amount in spleen(P<0.05) were decreased in model group. compared with the model control group, the spleen index of mice in each treatment group was decreased to varying degrees, and the difference in the Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma medium treatment group was significant, the CD3⁺CD4⁺ amount in spleen T cells was significantly increased in levamisole group, Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma medium and high treatment group (P<0.01), then IFN-γ in spleen was significantly decreased in each treatment groups(P<0.05), while the thymus index did not change significantly. CONCLUSION Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma could enhance the immune function by increasing the number of CD3⁺CD4⁺, decreasing IFN-γ in spleen and the regulate mechanism may be similar way of levamisole.