Text Box: INFLUENCE OF ASTRAGALUS ON PROLIFFRATION OF HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTED GRANULOCYTE -MONOCYTE PROGENITORS IN VITRO
Liu WJ, Zhang YC, Guo Y, Guo QL
Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College, Sichuan, China

Objective: To investigate the effect of astragalus on proliferative ability of Human cytomegalovirus (HCMVAD169) infected granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GM-CFUc) in human bone marrow.
Methods: with the use of culture in vitro technique of GM-CFUc, four groups were studied (every group includs twenty cases): normal GM-CFUc culture was used as blank control; GM-CFUc plus HCMV as HCMV control; GM-CFUc plus HCMV plus ganciclovir as experimental control: GM-CFUc plus HCMV plus astragalus as experimental group.The production rate and lasting time of GM-CFUc colonies,big colonies,and clusters were observed everyday.
Results: ① The production rates of GM-CFUc colonies and clusters in astragalus group were significantly higher than that of HCMV group (p<0.01). ② There was no significant difference between astragalus group and HCMV group and gancicolovir group (p>0.05), ③ Controled by HCMV group, the  big  MG-CFUc colonies in astragalus group appeared ealier and could last for a longer time , the production rate of big colonies  was also significantly higher than HCMV group.
Conclusion: Astragalus could promote the proliferation of HCMV infected GM-CFUc, it prabably both processed enhancement of hematopoiesis and ability of inhibiting reproduction of HCMV.

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