Restoring Thymus Function for Enhanced Immune Response
The key to a healthy, functioning
immune system rests with the
thymus gland, a small organ
lying just beneath the breastbone. The
primary role of the thymus is to assist
in the proliferation and differentiation
of mature T-lymphocytes – cells that
attack and kill viruses and bacteria.
T-cells emerge from the bone marrow
in an incomplete state. In order to
function properly, immature T-cells
migrate to the thymus gland where they
are programmed into mature T-cells
that orchestrate the immune response to
attack and destroy invading viruses and
cancer cells.
In our early twenties we have an
abundance of well-trained, functioning
T-cells that regulate
the immune
system and help
the body fight off
pathogens and
disease. After
about age 20, the
thymus begins to
shrink (atrophy)
as dying thymic
cells are progressively
replaced
by fat and connective
tissue.
By about age 40, output of thymic
hormones has dropped significantly
and T-cells have begun to lose their
effectiveness. It is this gradual loss of
functioning T-cells that is believed to
be responsible for many of the agerelated
changes in the immune system
that gradually rob the body of its ability
to fight off infectious diseases,
autoimmune disorders and cancer.
Antiaging Effects of Advanced Herbal Youth Formula
in Rabbits
To evaluate the effects of an advanced herbal youth formula on
organ health, researchers conducted a
two-year trial with two identical groups
of rabbits. One group was treated with
the herbal formula daily, and the second,
untreated group served as a control. At
the end of the study, the researchers
compared the organs of both test
groups of elderly rabbits to those of
young, healthy juvenile rabbits.
When examining the treated rabbits
the researchers noted that thymus
glands of the old animals receiving
the herbal youth formula retained the structure and
functionality of glands normally seen
only in young, health rabbits.
Conversely,
the thymus
glands of the
old, untreated
control rabbits
were severely
atrophied,
weighing less
than a third of
their normal
weight, and
consisting primarily
of inactive
fat and
connective tissues. Similar results were
observed when the researchers compared
tissues samples gathered from
the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen
and other organs. In each case, the
organs of the herbal youth formula treated animals
displayed the form and function of tissues
normally only seen in younger
subjects.
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THYMUS
- Aged rabbit
Weight
is 1 gram, severe
atrophy, heavy fatty infiltration |
THYMUS
- Treated rabbit
Weight
is 2 grams, firm mass,
slight atrophy, no fatty infiltrate |
Full Study
and Color Slides are presented below.
Observation of Antiaging Effects of Advanced Herbal Youth Formula in Rabbits
Materials: 20
4-month-old, healthy purebred New Zealand rabbits, 10 males
and 10 females each weighing 2kg. (Supplied by Shanghai Laboratory
Animal Center of China Academy)
Grouping: Rabbits
were divided randomly into two groups of 10, labeled Group
A (the administration group) and Group B (the control group).
Feeding: Every
rabbit in both groups is fed in a separated cage in the same
room. All are observed under room temperature. The feeding
of rabbits is strictly defined according to time and quantity.
Observation Index and Methods
Method: After
2 years of treatment researchers randomly selected one male
and one female rabbit from each group (A = treatment group, and B = control group).
Researchers also selected one male and female rabbit from
a group of 6-month-old, healthy purebred New Zealand rabbits
weighing 2kg each. This group was labeled Group C (young,
healthy controls).
Researchers randomly numbered
all 6 rabbits and, after etherizing them, obtained tissue
samples from for examination with both optical and electron
microscopes. Tissues were prepared for optical microscope
by fixing with formalin, paraffin section, HE staining, weight
elastic fiber staining on the myocardium and coronary arteries,
and NAP staining fixed by acetone for womb tissues.
Tissue samples for the electron
microscope were fixed with 2.5% sporicidin, embedded with
expoxide resin, prepped into ultra-thin sections and stained
with acetate uranium and citrialuminum.
Observation Index: Researchers
examined tissue samples from the thymus glands, hearts, lungs,
livers, spleens, kidneys, brains, wombs and testes/womb of
the 6 rabbits from Group A, B, and C under optical microscope.
Researchers examined tissue
samples from the livers of all 6 rabbits and testes of the
3 male rabbits from Group A, B, and C under electron microscope.
Results
of Observation with Optical Microscope
Thymus gland: The weight
of the thymus gland of the rabbits in Group A was 2g. The
atrophy of the thymus gland was relatively slight. The weight
of the thymus gland of the rabbits in Group B was 1g, the
cells of the thymus gland decreased and adipose tissues overgrew.
The weight of the thymus gland of the rabbits if Group C
was 3g and the tissues and structure remained normal.
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Thymus - Old rabbit
Thymus with severe atrophy,
heavy fatty infiltration |
Thymus - Treated rabbit
Firm mass, only slight
signs of atrophy |
Heart: There were very
few micro-fiber foci in the myocardium of the rabbits in
Group A. The pathological changes in the coronary arteries
were not obvious, and the elastic intima was clear. The myocardium
of the rabbits in Group B was fiberized. There were deposits
of lipofuscin. The collagen fibers of the coronary arteries
overgrew, the intima became thickened irregularly and the
elastic intima split and proliferated. The myocardium and
coronary arteries of the rabbits in Group C kept normal.
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Heart - Old rabbit
Sclerosis of coronary artery,
thickened intima, fibrosis |
Heart - Treated rabbit
Slight myocardial fibrosis and
unclear coronary sclerosis |
Lung: There were no obvious
pathological changes in the blood vessels of the lungs of
the rabbits in Group A. The wall of the arteriole of the
lungs of the rabbits in Group B thickened and the arteriole
became narrower. The blood vessels of the lungs of the rabbits
in Group C were normal.
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Lung - Old rabbit
Thickening of small arteries,
narrowing of arterioles |
Lung - Treated rabbit
No thickening or damage
to small artery walls |
Liver: There was a little
blood stagnation of the liver in the rabbits of Group A,
but the atrophy of the hepatic cells was not very obvious.
Very little lipofuscin was found. There was obvious blood
stagnation and atrophy of the liver and obvious atrophy of
the hepatic cells in the rabbits of Group B. Deposits of
lipofuscin could be found. The livers of the rabbits in Group
C were normal.
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Liver - Old rabbit
Stagnant blood, lipofuscin
deposits in cells |
Liver - Treated rabbit
Absence of blood stagnation,
no lipofuscin in cells |
Spleen: There was no blood
stagnation of the spleen in Group A. The walls of the central
arteries of the splenic corpuscles thickened slightly. There
was blood stagnation of the spleen in Group B, and the walls
of the central arteries of the splenic corpuscles thickened
thus causing the arteries to become narrower. The rabbits
in Group C were normal.
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Spleen - Old rabbit
Vessel wall thickening of central
arteries in splenic corpuscle |
Spleen - Treated rabbit
No vessel wall thickening of
arteries in splenic corpuscle |
Kidney: There was no obvious
unit decrease of the kidney of the rabbits in Group A. Under
the view of 10 lower diameters, 300 glomeruli could be found.
However, there was unit decrease of the kidney of the rabbits
in Group B. Under the view of 10 lower diameters, some 230
glomeruli could be found. The walls of arteriole in the kidney
thickened and became narrower. In the rabbits of Group C,
about 330 glomeruli were found under the view of 10 lower
diameters.
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Kidney - Old rabbit
Decrease in nephrons
with few glomeruli |
Kidney - Treated rabbit
Slight decrease in nephrons |
Brain: The soft meninx
of the rabbits in Group A did not thicken. The blood vessels
expanded, but there was no obvious blood stagnation. The
soft meninx of the rabbits in Group B, thickened, and the
blood vessels of the lower part of the arachnid membrane
expanded. There was evidence of blood stagnation. Part of
the blood vessels of the brain became spuriously calcified.
The rabbits in Group C were normal.
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Brain - Old rabbit
Calcification of arterial vessels,
thickening of soft meninx |
Brain - Treated rabbit
No thickening of soft meninx,
slight expansion of vessels |
Uterus: There was the
enlargement of uterus in the rabbits of Group A, and the
intima thickened. AKP staining showed (-) for the rabbits
of Group A. There was atrophy of the womb in the rabbits
of Group B. The womb became narrower, and the intima was
thinner. AKP staining showed (+).
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Uterus - Old rabbit
Thinning oftunica intima
of the uterine lining |
Uterus - Treated rabbit
No thinning of tunica intima |
Testis: There was no obvious
atrophy of the spermaduct in the rabbits of Group A, and
there was a large amount of sperm. There was atrophy of the
spermaducts in the rabbits of Group B and the sperm cells
of various kinds were degenerated, reducing the number of
sperm.
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Testis - Old rabbit
Atrophy of the seminiferous
tubules, reduced sperm |
Testis - Treated rabbit
No atrophy of the seminiferous
tubules, healthy sperm |
Results
of Observations with Electron Microscope
Liver: In
Group A, the nuclei were either circular or oval, while the
nuclear membrane was clear. The nucleoli had a thread-like
structure. The nuclear chromatin was well distributed. The
shape and volume of the mitochondria in Group A were similar
to those in the healthy young rabbits. They were thick with
numerous endoplasmic reticulum. Reticulation enlargement
was not apparent.
In Group B, the nuclei had
an irregular shape. The nucleoli were separated and had lost
their thread-like structure. Around the nucleoli, the chromatin
had increased. Cytoplasmic mitochondria were swollen and
shortened, and their shape was irregular. The dilatation
of endoplasmic reticulum decreased. Lipofuscin deposits could
be observed.
In Group C, the mitochondria
were slightly enlarged. Their other structures were normal.
Testis: In
Group A, no atrophy of convoluted tubule was observed, and
there were no apparent degenerative changes in spermatoblasts
of different levels. The nuclei or cell organs had a clear
structure.
In Group B, the convoluted
tubule was found to have shrunk. Spermatoblasts of different
levels and sterol cells showed degenerative changes. Nuclear
chromatin condensed. Denaturation of intracytoplasmic cell
organs and their obscure structure could be observed.
Results
In Group B, thymus glands,
womb and testis displayed noticeable shrinkage. Coronary
sclerosis, myocardial focal fibrosis, lipofuscin deposits
and nephronal decrease were common. The use of an electron
microscope revealed patent degenerative changes in the nucleoli
and mitochondria of hepatic cells and convoluted tubule cells,
accompanied by lipofuscin deposits.
In Group A, fewer pathologic
changes were apparent. In comparison to Group C, the organic
functions in Group A were normal.