[Effect of Bushen recipe on T-cell subsets and their function in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

To observe the regulatory effect of Bushen recipe (BSR) on immune function in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Thirty patients with HBeAg+ and abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT) level were treated with BSR for 6 months. The following parameters before treatment, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were tested: (1) HBV DNA by fluorescence quanitiative PCR; (2) Levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-gamma in supernatant of cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) after had been cultured with HBeAg, HBcAg and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) for 48 hrs; (3) Blood levels of T-cells, including CD4+ , CD8+ , CD8+ CD28+ , CD8+ CD28- and CD28+ , and their ratio, as well as the percentage of CD8+ CD28+ in the cell culture after being co-cultured with PHA for 48 hrs.

In patients effectively treated by BSR, after 3 months treatment, level of IFN-gamma in PBMC culture significantly increased, CD8+ CD28+ , CD28+ T-cells significantly enhanced and IL-10 and CD8 + CD28+ T-cells significantly decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

BSR could significantly strengthen the expression of Th1 type cytokine, decrease the expression of Th2 type cytokine and promote the expression of CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte, which may be one of mechanisms in suppressing HBV DNA replication.