ANTI-TUMOR EFFECT OF SHENFUWEIKANG HERBS ON MICE LOADED WITH GASTRIC CARCINOMA

To explore the anti-tumor effect of the Shenfuweikang in treatment of gastric cancer. Kunming mice grafted with a mouse gastric adenocarcinoma cell line MFC was used as the experimental model. The mice were divided into four groups, one control and the other three different drug administration experimental groups. Animals in the three experimental groups received Shefuweikang herb over a 60-day period starting at the first day after grafting. Animals received saline as controls. All the mice were sacrificed at 61 days after being grafted. The anti-tumor effect was assessed by two ways: (1) tumor size was periodically measured during the life of the animals and tumor weight was determined by an electron balance immediately after the animals killed. (2) Apoptotic indices (AI) were examined by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and flow cytometric analysis. (3) The expression of VEGF, STAT3 and HIF-1a in tumor tissues was examined by immunostaining and analyzed by Image J analysis system. Compared with controls, tumor growth (size and weight) was significantly inhibited with the Shefouweikang decoction treatment (P<0.05). AI in gastric cancer grafted mice was significantly increased in the Shefuweikang decoction group compared with the controls. The expression of VEGF, STAT3 and HIF-1a in tumor tissues were down-regulated after treated with Shefuweikang decoction. The anti-tumor effect of gastric cancer cell growth in vivo by Shefuweikang herbs is related with the induction of the cell apoptosis and down-regulation of VEGF, STAT3 and HIF-1a signal transduction system.