Objective: To study the relationship between the changes of Wushensu (WSS) tablets induced cAMP and cGMP content in spleen
lymphocytes in mice and
cytotoxicity. Methods: Fifty mice were divided into five groups (each group had 10 mice). The experimental groups were divided into high, medium and low doses of WSS tablets; the control groups were cyclophosphamide positive control group and saline negative control group. Results: WSS tablets (a compound tablet which consists of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms, Mylabris and cordyceps sinensis Sacc) had the
significant effect of increasing cAMP/cGMP content in spleen lymphocytes in mice and cAMP/cGMP ratio. As compared with the control groups, there was significant difference ( P <0.01); and as compared with the control group, the cyclophosphamide group had significant reducing effect ( P <0.01). The determined results of NK cytotoxicity also showed that the WSS tablets had significant effect in increasing the NK cytotoxicity. As compared with the control group or the cyclophosphamide group, there were also significant differences ( P <0.01).Conclusion: As a new molecular inhibitor for regulating and controlling cancer cells, WSS tablets can significantly increase the cAMP/cGMP content in spleen lymphocytes in mice and cAMP/cGMP ratio. This result may be closely associated with the increasing of NK cytotoxicity, and its process may be associated with membrane receptor, the effect of protein kinases cascade amplification and protein phosphatase system.