The effects of Polyrhachis vicina on immunoregulation in mice]

OBJECTIVE: To study the immuno-regulatory effects of Polyrhachis vicina Roger(PVR) in mice. METHOD: By determining the immune function of normal mice and immune function-depressed or enhanced mice after the administration of PVR. RESULTS: PVR (0.25 g.kg-1.d-1 x 10 d, 0.5 g.kg-1.d-1 x 10 d, 1.5 g.kg-1.d-1 x 10 d, op) had no effects on non-specific immune function (weight of immune organs) and cell immune function (delayed type hypersensitivity, DTH) in normal mice, but could improve the non-specific immune function and fluids immune function (hemolysin assay method) in immune function-depressed mice induced with hydrocortisonun (5 x 10(-2) g.kg-1.d-1 x 5 d). Both depressed DTH and enhanced DTH induced with cyclophosphamide (Cy) at the doses of 80 mg.kg-1.d-1 x 1 d and 250 g.kg-1.d-1 x 10 d ig. respectively were regulated by PVR (1.5 g.kg-1.d-1 x 10 d). CONCLUSION: PVR has immuno-regulatory activities in mice.