[Comparison of experimental murine immunodeficiency models induced by cyclophosphamide and hydrocortisone]

To compare the experimental murine immunodeficiency models induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) and hydrocortisone (HY), and choose suitable animal models for function evaluation of health food.

7 trials were performed: evaluation of spleen and thymus index and WBC count, evaluation of the phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system, evaluation of macrophage phagocytosis function, splenic natural killer (NK) activity, delayed type of hypersensitivity response, plaque-forming cell assay and assay of serum hemolysin to SRBC. The animals were randomly divided into 2 groups of 12 mice for each experimental series. Group 1 served as vehicle control and Group 2 served as the CP/HY treated control. CP-1 at 80 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally on dayl, 2, 3, 9, 16, and 23. CP-2 at 50 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally on dayl, 3, 5, 7, and 9. CP-3 at 40mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally on day 1 and 2. HY injection at 40 mg/kg was administered intramuscularly on day 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. All groups were used for different immunomodulatory activity screening experiments, respect on day 29, 11, 7, and 10.

Compared to vehicle control, the plaque-forming cells, serum hemolysin and WBC count were reduced in all CP groups. While the phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system, macrophage phagocytosis function, NK activity, delayed type of hypersensitivity response and WBC count were reduced in HY group.

Both CP or HY could build a murine immunodeficiency model and they have different sensitivity indexes.