OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of Rehmannia Oral Liquid on the syndrome of heat accumulation with Yin consumption in intermediate or late esophagus cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

METHODS

The IFN-alpha, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and TGF-beta1 levels in sera were determined by the method of ABC-WLISA before and after the treatment with Rehmannia Oral Liquid. At the same time, the observation was carried out on the patient's general condition, symptoms and signs, barium meal or CT examinations, and biopsy. Another 30 cases of esophagus cancer were treated singly with radiotherapy as the control group.

RESULTS

Rehmannia Oral Liquid could obviously improve the patient's general condition, and the symptoms and signs after radiotherapy. Based on the X-ray examination and biopsy, the short-term local control rate of the treatment group and the control group was 70.0% and 40.0% respectively, showing a significant difference (P<0.05). Before the treatment, the level of serum IFN-alpha of both cancer groups was lower and the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and TGF-beta1 were higher than that of normal group. After treatment, the level of IFN-alpha in both treatment group and control group increased significantly (P<0.01), and the treatment group improved more obviously than the control group (P<0.05). The level of TNF-alpha of both groups decreased significantly (P<0.01) after treatment, and the level of IL-1beta decreased in treatment group and increased in control group without the significant difference as compared with that before treatment The level of TGF-beta1 was significantly increased in control group (P<0.05) and decreased in treatment group (P>0.05) after treatment. The difference between groups was significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Rehmannia Oral Liquid can obviously reduce the radiotherapy reaction, improve the quality of life, and raise the therapeutic effects. The action mechanism of the Liquid may lie in balancing the cytokine network and regulating the disordered signal transmission.