[Potentiation of the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy and hyperthermia on experimental tumor and reduction of immunotoxicity of mitomycin C by juzen-taiho-toh, a Chinese herbal medicine].

Potentiation of the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy and local hyperthermia by the Chinese herbal medicine, Juzen-Taiho-Toh (JTX, TJ-48), was studied using murine tumours. Mouse sarcoma 180 tumor cells were inoculated s. c. into the footpads of ICR mice. TJ-48 was given (days 1-50) orally. On appropriate days (days 5, 8, 12, 15 and 19), mice were administered mitomycin C (MMC, 3 mg/kg/day) and treated with hyperthermia (43 degrees C, 30 min). TJ-48 markedly potentiated the effects of the combined use of MMC and hyperthermia. Similar results were observed against B16 melanoma inoculated into BDF1 mice. Tumor-bearing feet of mice treated with MMC (days 5, 8, 12, and 15) and TJ-48 (days 1-40) were amputated on day 14, the S180 tumor was reinoculated sc into the axillary region on day 19, and the subsequent tumor growth was observed. These results indicated that tumor growth and the incidence of tumors in the nontreated group were suppressed. However, a marked tumor growth was observed in the group administered MMC. In contrast, tumor growth and the incidence were suppressed in the group given MMC plus TJ-48 when compared with MMC alone. These results suggest that TJ-48 not only potentiates the combined effects of MMC and hyperthermia but also reduces and/or eliminates the immunotoxicity of MMC in the host.