The possible use of Peh-Hue-Juwa-Chi-Cao as an antitumour agent and radioprotector after therapeutic irradiation

Abstract

Peh-Hue-Juwa-Chi-Cao is suggested for human use as an antitumour agent. In this study, three different crude drugs that take the same name "Peh-Hue-Juwa-Chi-Cao', Hedyotis diffusa (HD), Hedyotis corymbosa (HC) and Mollugo pentaphylla (MP), were evaluated for their antitumour activity against malignant implanted subcutaneous tumours. In addition, studies on the protective effect of radiation-induced haematopoietic damage after whole body irradiation were also done. Several experimental approaches were used. In the antitumour study, sarcoma-180 cells were implanted into the femoral part to induce subcutaneous tumours several days later. Combinations of 9.5 Gy x-irradiation with 1000 mg/kg Peh-Hue-Juwa-Chi-Cao was more effective than other treatments. Studies on their radioprotective effects were performed using measurements of the changes of leukocytes and haematocrits after whole-body irradiation. Different sequences of x-irradiation were studied with or without crude drug administration in groups of ICR strain mice which were intraperitoneally injected at a dose of 500 or 1000 mg/kg body weight, 30 min before irradiation. These three kinds of Peh-Hue-Juwa-Chi-Cao, HD, HC and MP all showed the similar antitumour effects on the implanted subcutaneous tumours. Using adequate treatments, HD, HC and MP had significant effects on promoting the recovery of leukocytes from radiation damage. However, HD showed no significant difference on the efficacy of recovery from haematocrit, compared with that of HC. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.