Objective: To research the treatment effect of a complex prescription of Chinese crude drug in BALB/c athymic mice.
Methods: 48 male BALB/c athymic mouse models were built by Bel-7402 with an indirect method. After 24 hours of postoperation, they were distributed randomly into 4 groups which were treated by intragastric administration with complex prescription of Chinese crude drug of different density as the low, middle, high and FF207 (Tegafur) for 4 weeks. At last, athymic mice were put to death and survial time, volume of tumors, exponent of tumors and the tumor metastasis in livers were observed; and PTEN was detected in hepatic tissue, latero-cancer tissue and cancer tissue by immunohistochemistry.
Results: 4 weeks later, the total survival rate in treatment group (A + B + C) was 50% and more higher than the control group (0%) treated by FT207, P < 0.01. The survival rate in group A, B, C was higher than group D, except group A, there was significant differences, P < 0.05 or 0.01. And no differences were observed between the treatment groups and the control group in volume of tumors and exponent of tumors, P > 0.05. Tumor metastasis in livers of the treatment group is less than the control's, P < 0.05. Negative correlation between volume of tumors and survival time, positive correlation between tumors volume and spleen exponent were observed, P < 0.01. The result of immunohistochemistry represented that the intensity of PTEN in latero-cancer tissue was the highest, and then the hepatic tissue, the lowest was cancer tissue, P < 0.01. It also represented that the intensity of PTEN in treatment groups (A, B, C) was more higher than the control group (D), and group B was the highest in the treatment groups, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01. However, there was no significant statistic difference between group A and group C, P > 0.05.
Conclusion: This complex prescription of Chinese crude drug can prolong the survival time and decrease tumor metastasis in livers of these experimental mice. Too large tumor volume is an main death cause of model. Mechanisms of this complex prescription of Chinese crude drug healing HCC may partially be explained by enhancing the expression of PTEN in liver.