Differential Effects of Yin- and Yang-Chinese Tonifying Herbs on Innate and Adaptive Immunity

The present study investigated the effect of treatment with methanolic extracts Yin- and Yang-Chinese tonifying herbs on concanavalin A (Con A)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated splenocyte proliferation (adaptive immunity) natural killer (NK) cell activity (innate in an ex vivo mouse model. results indicated that while most Yin herbal potentiated Con A/LPS-stimulated proliferation, only Yang (but not Yin) stimulated NK activity. differential effects innate adaptive immunity are consistent Chinese medicine theory which depicts functional components Zheng Qi (vital energy), component being responsible for first line defense against invading microorganisms (i.e., oner serving as a follow-up defensive response immunity).