Immunostimulating Effect of a Well-known Thai Folkloric Remedy in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate immune-stimulating effects of a well-known Thai folkloric remedy when usedfor adjuvant therapy with conventional chemotherapeutics for treatment of breast cancer. Immunostimulatinginfluence of the remedy (215 mg/kg body weight per day) on NK cell activity and TNF-α release from themonocytes/macrophages were investigated in a total of 15 healthy women and 13 female patients with breastcancer (Group 1). The effect of breast tumor surgery on NK cell activity was further investigated in 18 femalepatients with breast cancer (Group 2). NK cell cytotoxic activity was determined by chromium release cytotoxicassay using K562, an erythroleukemic cell line. TNF-α release from monocytes/macrophages separated fromblood samples was determined through a biological assay using actinomycin D-treated L929 mouse fibroblastcells in the presence and absence of LPS. Baseline NK cell activity of the monocytes/macrophages separated fromGroup 2 patients expressed as %cytotoxicity was significantly lower than in the healthy subjects at E:T ratiosof 100:1 and 25:1. In healthy subjects, there was no change in NK cell cytotoxic activity (%cytotoxicity or LU)following 1 and 2 weeks of treatment with the remedy compared with the baseline at various E:T ratios but thebinding activity (%binding) was significantly increased after 2 weeks of treatment. The addition of one or twoconventional chemotherapeutic regimens did not significantly reduce the NK cytotoxic activity but did affectrelease of TNF-α in both unstimulated and LPS-stimulated samples. Surgery produced a significant suppressiveeffect on NK cell activity. The use of the remedy as an adjunct therapy may improve therapeutic efficacy andsafety profiles of conventional chemotherapeutic regimens through stimulation of the immune system in cancerpatients.