This study was performed to evlauate the usefulness of red ginseng extract as an adjuvant therapeutic agent to improve immune function in immune compromizing gastrointestinal carcinoma patients.
We were treated 48 patients with two regimens after we undertook the curative resection for gastrointestinal carcinoma: 1) only chemotherapy and immunotherapy(control group), 2) chemotherapy and immunotherapy with 4500~5400mg red ginseng for 6
months
(study group). For investigating the immunologic alternations alongside the numerical changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte and their subsets in the gastrointestinal carcinoma patients, lymphocyte surface markers were determined by monoclonal
antibodies on the preoperative lst day, and postoperative 5th day, 1 month, 3 month and 6 month in 28 controls and 20 red ginseng groups in gastrointestinal carcinoma patients which were recruited at Korea university Hospital from March, 1995 to
December, 1995.
The mean value for body weight was increased in the ginseng group than in the control group. There were no significant differences of serum hematocrit, hemoglobin, total protein and albumin in both groups. The total lymphocyte count was much more
increased in the ginseng group than in control group. The t cell, B cell, CD8, CD4, NK cell and activated T cell were increased in ginseng group more than in control group. The T cell was significantly increased on postoperative 5th day, 3 month
and 6
month, and B cell on postoperative 6 month in ginseng group than in control group. The CD8 was significantly increased on postoperative 3 month and 6 month, CD4 on postoperative 5th day, and NK cell and activated T cell also on postoperative 6
month in
ginseng group than in control group.
In conclusion, red ginseng may be useful as a longterm adjuvant therapeutic agent for improving the immune function and anticarcinogenic effect after curative operation for immune compromizing gastrointestinal carcinoma patients.
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