51496
document
Effects of a Chinese medical herbs complex on cellular immunity and toxicity-related conditions of breast cancer patients . Rose geranium ( Pelargonium graveolens , Geraniaceae ) has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties , and promotes wound healing . Similarly , Ganoderma tsugae ( Ganodermataceae ) , Codonopsis pilosula ( Campanulaceae ) and Angelica sinensis ( Apiaceae ) are traditional Chinese herbs associated with immunomodulatory functions . In the present study , a randomised , double-blind , placebo-controlled study was conducted to examine whether the Chinese medicinal herb complex , RG-CMH , which represents a mixture of rose geranium and extracts of G. tsugae , C. pilosula and A. sinensis , can improve the immune cell count of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to prevent leucopenia and immune impairment that usually occurs during cancer therapy . A total of fifty-eight breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy were enrolled . Immune cell levels in patient serum were determined before , and following , 6 weeks of cancer treatment for patients receiving either an RG-CMH or a placebo . Administration of RG-CMH was associated with a significant reduction in levels of leucocytes from 31·5 % for the placebo group to 13·4 % for the RG-CMH group . Similarly , levels of neutrophils significantly decreased from 35·6 % for the placebo group to 11·0 % for the RG-CMH group . RG-CMH intervention was also associated with a decrease in levels of T cells , helper T cells , cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells compared with the placebo group . However , these differences between the two groups were not statistically significant . In conclusion , administration of RG-CMH to patients receiving chemotherapy/radiotherapy may have the capacity to delay , or ease , the reduction in levels of leucocytes and neutrophils that are experienced by patients during cancer treatment .
51497
Intervention_Pharmacological
Rose geranium
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Ganoderma tsugae
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Codonopsis pilosula
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Angelica sinensis
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Chinese medicinal herb complex , RG-CMH
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Intervention_Pharmacological
mixture of rose geranium and extracts of G. tsugae , C. pilosula and A. sinensis
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Intervention_Pharmacological
chemotherapy
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Intervention_Pharmacological
radiotherapy
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Intervention_Pharmacological
RG-CMH
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Outcome_Physical
Immune cell levels in patient serum
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Outcome_Physical
levels of leucocytes
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Participant_Condition
breast cancer patients .
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Participant_Condition
fifty-eight breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy were enrolled .