Immune-enhancing effect of Danggwibohyeoltang, an extract from Astragali Radix and Angelicae gigantis Radix, in vitro and in vivo.

Danggwibohyeoltang (DGBHT) is an oriental herbal prescription consisting of two herbs: Astragali Radix and Angelicae gigantis Radix. We examined the immune-enhancing effect of DGBHT in mice using the forced swimming test (FST) and in vitro tests in peritoneal macrophages. After daily oral administration of DGBHT, blood biochemical parameters related to fatigue were measured after the FST. The immobility time in the FST was significantly decreased in the DGBHT-treated group (200 mg/kg) on the 10th and 14th days. DGBHT (100~~200 mg/kg) treatment significantly increased glucose levels, acting as an energy source. Lactic dehydrogenase levels, which are accurate indicators of muscle damage, tended to decline after DGBHT administration (100~200 mg/kg). When DGBHT (200 mg/kg) was orally administered to mice, creatine kinase levels tended to decrease; however, this decrease was not significant. DGBHT did not have any effects on the variation of total protein and blood urea nitrogen levels. Further, we examined how DGBHT regulates cytokine production, nitric oxide (NO) production, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation in mouse peritoneal macrophages. When DGBHT was used in combination with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-γ), there was a noticeable cooperative induction of NO production and NF-κB activation. Moreover, rIFN-γ plus DGBHT treatment of peritoneal macrophages significantly increased the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-12 (IL-12). These results suggest that DGBHT improves immune function through the changes in indicators related to fatigue and the regulatory effects on immunological parameters, such as TNF-α, IL-12, NO production, and NF-κB activation.