Objective: To observe the effect of Astragalus membranaceus efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing on chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor.
Methods: One hundred and twenty tumor patients were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group. Both groups were treated with chemotherapy, but to the treated group, Astragalus injection was given additionally by intravenous dripping, 20 ml in 250 ml of normal saline once per day for 21 days as one course and 4 courses were given successively.
Results: Compared with the control group, the treated group showed a lower progressive incidence, lesser decrease of peripheral WBC and platelet count (P < 0.05), accompanied with CD8 significantly lowered (P < 0.05), CD4/CD8 ratio significantly increased (P < 0.01), IgG and IgM levels raised (P < 0.05) and Karnofsky scores elevated more than those in the control group. IgA level was unchanged in both groups.
Conclusion: Astragalus injection supplemented with chemotherapy could inhibit the development of tumor, decrease the toxic-adverse effect of chemotherapy, elevate the immune function of organism and improve the quality of life in patients.