OBSERVATIONS OF THE EFFECT OF EMITTED QI COMBINED WITH ANTITUMOR HERBS ON THE GROWTH OF TRANSPLANTED TUMORS IN MICE

In this study we observed the effect of the emitted qi combined with anti-tumor herbs (ATH) on the growth of transplanted tumors in mice.
Materials and methods:
1. Animals: Kunming species mice, weighing 18±19, female.
2. Reconstruction of the mice subcutaneous solid tumor transplanting model:
The ascites was aspirated and the sterile normal saline adjusted the concentration of sarcoma cell to 3X10**7 /ml, then 3X10**6 sarcoma cell was hypodermically transplanted into the mice's left inguinal regions.
3. Mice were divided into three groups:
1) control:
2) group treated with emitted qi: receiving emitted qi from a qigong master 40 min a day for 14 days
3) group treated with emitted qi combined with ATH: The method of receiving emitted qi was similar to Group Two, and compressed ATH was given to the tumor region every day.
4. observing index:
Mice were sacrificed 14 days after treatment. Macrophage intraperitoneal was aspirated and its phagocytic function was tested. The tumor was separated from the liver, spleen and thymus, weighed and the tumor's maxim diameter was measured, and the tumor's growth suppression rate was computed.
5. The differences were statistically analyzed by using student's t-test.
Results:
1. Changes in mice's weight and several immune indexes. (Table I-III)
Table I Changes in mice's weight during the treatment
group pretreatment 7 days posttreatment 14 days posttreatment

control(n=9) 27.60±0.69 28.70±1.82 25.64±1.57
treated with 27.74±0.96 28.50±2.36 26.02±0.94
emitted qi(n=11)
treated with 26.00±1.66 27.10±1.96 25.34±1.16
emitted qi
combined with ATH (n=10)

Table II Weight of mice's immune organ after treatment

group liver spleen thymus
control(n=9) 1.51±0.22 0.16±0.03 0.07±0.01
group treated 1.58±0.20 0.17±0.08 0.08±0.02
with emitted qi(n=11)
group treated 1.53±0.18 0.18±0. 03 0.08±0.02
emitted qi
combined with ATH (n=10)

Table III Phagocytic function of mice's macrophage after treatment

group percentage of phagocytosis
control(n=9) 11.50±4.30
group treated with
emitted qi (n=11) 19.00±6.36*
group treated with
qi and ATH(n=10) 19.00±7.28*
*: 0.05>p>0.01 (compared with the control)

In three groups, the weight of mice to some degree changed, but no marked difference was found. Although the weight of mice's immune organs in the treating groups was higher than those in the control group there was no significance statistically. The phagocytic function of mice's macrophage in both two treating groups was markedly higher than those in the controls (p<0.05). It showed that emitted qi and ATH had some enhancement effect on cell mediated immunity.
2. The restraining effect of emitted qi combined with ATH on mice's tumor
The effect of emitted qi combined with ATH on tumor was shown in table IV. V.

Table IV Growth restraining effect of emitted qi combined with ATH on mice's tumor (A)

group average weight of tumor(g) tumor suppression rate(1)(%)
control(n=9) 0.49±0.36
group treated with
emitted qi(n=11) 0.34±0.53 30.61
group treated with
emitted qi 0.13±0.08* 73.46
and ATH(n=10)
*: 0.01<p<0.05 (compared with the control)

Table V Growth restraining effect of emitted qi combined with ATH on mice's tumor (B)

group av max diameter of tumor(mm) tumor suppression rate (2)(%)
control(n=9) 12.62±4.24
group treated with
emitted qi (n=11) 9.00±4.44 28.68
group treated with
emitted qi
and ATH (n=10) 7.87±2.41* 37.63
*: 0.01<p<0.05 (compared with the control

After 14 day's treatment, both the rate of tumor growth restraining effect of the group treated with emitted qi and group treated with emitted qi combined with ATH was statistically significant compared with the controls (p<0.05). The group treated with emitted qi combined with ATH had a better effect on restraining tumor growth than the group only treated with emitted qi (p<0.05).