[Comparative study of modulating effect of kidney tonifying recipe and spleen invigorating recipe on T-lymphocyte apoptosis in corticosterone treated rats].

Objective: To compare the modulating effect of Kidney tonifying recipe (KTR) and Spleen invigorating recipe (SIR) on T-lymphocyte apoptosis (TLA) in corticosterone treated rats (CTR).

Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analysis on activation-induced TLA was conducted by transmission electron microscope and TUNEL labelled flow cytometry detection.

Results: TLA percentage of CTR was 45.87 +/- 7.22%, while that of normal control rats was 34.25 +/- 6.47%, the difference between them was significant (P < 0.01). TLA percentage of Youguiyin treated rats was 35.90 +/- 7.39%, and that of Bushen Yishou capsule treated rats was 36.20 +/- 9.14%, compared with that of CTR, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively. TLA percentage of the SIR treated group was 36.92 +/- 11.82%, which was different insignificantly as compared with that of CTR.

Conclusion: TLA susceptibility was significantly enhanced in CTR. Both KTRs (Youguiyin and Bushen Yishou capsule) had down-regulating effect on TLA, while the effect of SIR was insignificant, suggesting that down-regulating activation-induced TLA may be one of the important mechanisms of KTR in improving T-lymphocyte function in CTR.