Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 1996 Feb; 18(1): 73-89.

Protection of C3H/HE J mice from development of Candida albicans infection by oral administration of Juzen-taiho-to and its component, Ginseng radix: possible roles of macrophages in the host defense mechanisms.

Akagawa G, Abe S, Tansho S, Uchida K, Yamaguchi H.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Protective effect of a Japanese traditional herbal medicine, Juzen-taiho-to (TJ-48), which was recently reported to augment host-mediated antifungal actions, in Candida albicans-infected mice was further studied. TJ-48, given orally once daily for 5 consecutive days in a dose of 2 g/kg after intravenous infection of C. albicans, prolonged survival period of infected mice of a C3H/He J strain which is characteristic of functional deficiency of macrophages, but did not that of infected mice of a C3H/He N strain with normal macrophage function. Peritoneal macrophages obtained from C3H/He J mice showed a moderate inhibitory activity against Candida growth in vitro. The anti-Candida activity of the macrophages was augmented by the addition of TJ-48 or some component extracts of TJ-48 to the incubation medium. Among such active component extracts is an extract of Ginseng radix which was demonstrated to enhance the anti-Candida activity of macrophages in vitro and to prolong the survival time of C. albicans-infected C3H/He J mice without effect on C3H/He N mice. On the base of these findings, the mechanisms underlying the protective action of TJ-48 against systemic Candida infection was discussed in relation with its possible activity to activate the macrophage function.