Abstract
We studied the effects of moxibustion, electroacupuncture and kampo-hozai ohrengedoku-toh, a Chinese herb prescription, on delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) to picryl chloride (PC) in immunosuppressed mice. Six to nine week old male ddY mice were used. PC challenge was administered 6 days after sensitization. The ear swelling induced by PC-DTH was maximally suppressed by cyclophosphamide (Cy, 100 mg/kg) given 4 days after PC sensitization. Stimuli were applied to the point equivalent to the Mingmen point of the human body (on the post meridian line, between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar spinal processes), which Chinese medicine regards to be closely related to immunity. Significant inhibition of DTH suppression was observed when moxibustion (10 mg moxa/mouse), electro-acupuncture (2.5 Hz, 15 min.) or oral administration of kampo-hozai ohrengedoku-toh (prepared in our laboratory) had been applied one time per day for 3 days before PC sensitization. Moxibustion, electroacupuncture (5 Hz, 10 min.) and ohrengedoku-toh did not affect Cy suppressed DTH when they were applied before PC challenge. None of these promoted immunosuppression in a Cy immunosuppressed condition.
