## 3 Results
### Changes in NK Cell Activity  
The CPA control group showed a significant (\(p<0.01\)) decrease in peritoneal and splenic NK cell activity compared to the control group. However, significant (\(p<0.01\)) increases in NK cell activity in the peritoneal cavity and spleen were observed in all test substance administered groups, including the AR\({}_{200}\) group, compared to the CPA control group. In particular, the AR administered groups exhibited a dose-dependent promotion of NK cell activation. In addition, the AR\({}_{100}\) group showed an inhibitory effect on the reduction in CPA-induced NK cell activity, comparable to that of the EAP\({}_{200}\) group (Figure 6).  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Groups**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Controls**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Reference**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Test Materials**} \\ \cline{2-7}  & **Intact** & **CPA** & **EAP\({}_{200}\)** & **AR\({}_{400}\)** & **AR\({}_{200}\)** & **AR\({}_{100}\)** \\ \hline IFN-\(\gamma\) (pg/mL) & 275.76 \(\pm\) 65.60 & 60.62 \(\pm\) 12.93 d  & 100.81 \(\pm\) 22.93 d  & 166.19 \(\pm\) 31.37 d  & 137.27 \(\pm\) 30.09 d  & 100.78 \(\pm\) 21.37 d  \\ TNF-\(\alpha\) & 118.70 \(\pm\) 18.51 & 38.21 \(\pm\) 11.83 a  & 66.26 \(\pm\) 11.05 ab  & 85.06 \(\pm\) 12.08 ab  & 79.32 \(\pm\) 13.11 ab  & 66.24 \(\pm\) 10.38 ab  \\ IL-1\(\beta\) (pg/mL) & 74.39 \(\pm\) 12.40 & 20.67 \(\pm\) 3.49 a  & 34.65 \(\pm\) 6.57 ac  & 51.48 \(\pm\) 11.43 ab  & 41.84 \(\pm\) 10.85 ab  & 34.54 \(\pm\) 7.30 ac  \\ IL-6 (pg/mL) & 86.24 \(\pm\) 16.60 & 20.74 \(\pm\) 3.62 d  & 38.10 \(\pm\) 10.59 d  & 51.11 \(\pm\) 14.81 df  & 43.54 \(\pm\) 10.47 df  & 38.54 \(\pm\) 13.76 d  \\ IL-12 (pg/mL) & 519.07 \(\pm\) 168.94 & 164.09 \(\pm\) 51.70 d  & 277.51 \(\pm\) 55.11 e  & 364.05 \(\pm\) 71.64 f  & 323.64 \(\pm\) 67.89 f  & 277.39 \(\pm\) 37.30 g  \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 6: Splenic cytokine content in intact and CPA-induced immunosuppression mice.  
Figure 6: Effects on NK cell activity. CPA = cyclophosphamideamide; EAP = exopolymers purified from _A. pullulans_; AR = Astragalial Radix (Roots of _A. membranaucus_ Bunge) extracts; NK = Natural killer; THSD = Tukey’s honest significant difference; DT3 = Dunnett’s T3; \({}^{a}\)\(p<0.01\) as compared with intact control by THSD test; \({}^{b}\)\(p<0.01\) as compared with CPA control by THSD test; \({}^{c}\)\(p<0.01\) as compared with intact control by the DT3 test; \({}^{d}\)\(p<0.01\) as compared with CPA control by the DT3 test.  
Changes in NF-\(\kappa\)B, IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6, and IL-12 mRNA Expression in  
In the CPA control group, a significant (\(p<0.01\)) decrease in NF-\(\kappa\)B, IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6, and IL-12 mRNA expression in the spleen tissue was observed as compared to the control group. However, NF-\(\kappa\)B, IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6, and IL levels in spleen tissue in all test substance administered groups were significantly (\(p<0.01\)) higher than those in the CPA control group, including the AR\({}_{100}\) group. An increase in IL-12 mRNA expression was confirmed. In particular, the AR-administered groups showed a dose-dependent increase in NF-\(\kappa\)B and cytokine mRNA expressions in spleen tissue. In addition, the AR\({}_{100}\) group showed an inhibitory effect on the reduction in CPA-induced NF-\(\kappa\)B and cytokine mRNA expressions, similar to that of the EAP\({}_{200}\) group (Table 7).