[Clinical and experimental study on retardation of immunosenescence by kidney tonifying principle].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical curative effect of Kidney tonifying method on retardation of immunosenescence and corresponding experimental study. METHODS: A randomized double blind placebo-controlled trial was used (RCT) on 22 pairs of aged subjects to elucidate the effect of Kidney tonifying recipe on the peripheral T-lymphocyte apoptosis and the Fas/FasL gene expression in them. In rats experimental study, the effects of two kinds of Chinese recipes (Kidney tonifying recipe and blood circulation promoting recipe) on the same parameters as in clinical study as well as on cell apoptosis and gene expression regulation in old rats were also observed. RESULTS: Clinical study showed that after treatment, the percentage of T-lymphocyte apoptosis and the FasL gene expression in the Kidney tonifying group of aged subjects were lower than those in the placebo group (P < 0.01). Animal experiment showed the same result as shown in clinical study in Kidney tonifying recipe treated rats, but not shown in those treated with blood circulation promoting recipe statistically. CONCLUSION: Kidney tonifying principle has down-regulating effect on the transcription of apoptotic gene in both aged persons and old rats, this is one of the molecular mechanisms of Kidney tonifying method in decreasing over-apoptosis in aged subjects and old rats.