Duchesnea Phenolic Fraction Inhibits Tumor Growth through Restoring the Th1/Th2 Balance in U14 Cervical Cancer Bearing Mice

Duchesnea indica (Andr.) Focke has been traditionally used to treat cancer in Asian countries for centuries. In the present study, transplanted U14 cervical cancer mouse model was used to evaluate the antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of Duchesnea phenolic fraction (DPF). ELISA and RIA assay were employed to measured the serum concentration of Th1/Th2 cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ and TNF-α). Administration with 0.25 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg and 1 g/kg DPF significantly reduced the tumor weight by 34.37%, 43.89% and 56.28%, respectively, as compared to the tumor control group. Furthermore, the serum level of IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α increased and IL-4 level decreased in a dose-dependent manner during DPF treatment, indicating that the antitumor activity of DPF may be associated with the decrease of TNF-α level and restoration of the balance of Th1/Th2 cell responses. These data suggested that DPF, a mixture of plant polyphenols, had potent anticancer activity which was in part accomplished by its immunomodulatory ability.