PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - KIM, IM-KYUNG
AU  - LEE, KANG YOUNG
AU  - KANG, JEONGHYUN
AU  - PARK, JOON SEONG
AU  - JEONG, JOON
TI  - Immune-modulating Effect of Korean Red Ginseng by Balancing the Ratio of Peripheral T Lymphocytes in Bile Duct or Pancreatic Cancer Patients With Adjuvant Chemotherapy
AID  - 10.21873/invivo.12454
DP  - 2021 May 01
TA  - In Vivo
PG  - 1895--1900
VI  - 35
IP  - 3
4099  - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/35/3/1895.short
4100  - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/35/3/1895.full
SO  - In Vivo2021 May 01; 35
AB  - Background/Aim: We aimed to clarify the clinical effect of Korean Red ginseng administered with adjuvant chemotherapy on the immune function of patients with bile duct or pancreatic cancer. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial conducted at a single tertiary center. Twenty-six consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for bile duct or pancreatic cancer followed by 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin or gemcitabine chemotherapy were included. They were randomized 1:1 to the ginseng and control groups. Immune and inflammatory markers were assayed in peripheral blood samples during and after chemotherapy. Results: Intergroup differences in immune-related parameters before and during chemotherapy were not significant. After chemotherapy, the percentage of CD4+ T lymphocytes was significantly higher in the ginseng group than in the control group (42.01% vs. 33.69%, p=0.048). The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes was also higher in the ginseng group (2.03 vs. 1.28, p=0.027). Neutropenia and liver dysfunction prevalence did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: The ginseng group, which received Korean Red ginseng daily during adjuvant chemotherapy, showed higher levels of CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocyte ratio after chemotherapy.