## 3 Results
### Hematological Changes  
Significant (\(p<0.01\)) reductions in total leukocyte and RBC count, hemoglobin (HGB), HCT, and platelet count, that is, pan-leukocyte and thrombocytopenia due to significant hematopoietic inhibition, and aplastic anemia, were observed in the CPA control group compared to the normal vehicle control group. However, no change was observed in the leukocyte fractionation count in the CPA control group. Conversely, the decrease in total leukocyte and RBC count, HGB, HCT, and platelet count due to hematopoietic inhibition by CPA administration was significantly (\(p<0.01\)) suppressed by administration of all test substances, including AR (100 mg/kg). In particular, in the AR administered groups, a dose-dependent hematopoietic promoting action was observed. In the AR\({}_{100}\), CPA-induced inhibition of the hematopoietic system was reduced, comparable to that in the \(\mathrm{EAP}_{200}\) group (Table 4). Changes in Blood Cytokine--IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6 and IL-12 Contents  
In the CPA control group, blood IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6, and IL-12 levels were significantly (\(p<0.01\)) decreased compared to those in the normal vehicle control group. However, in all test substance administered groups, including \(\mathrm{EAP}_{200}\), the levels of IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6, and IL-12 increased significantly (\(p<0.01\); \(p<0.05\)) compared to those in the CPA control group. In particular, the AR administered groups showed a dose-dependent increase in the blood cytokine content. In the AR\({}_{100}\) group, the inhibitory effects of reduction in the CPA-induced blood IFN-\(\gamma\), TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-1\(\beta\), IL-6, and IL-12 content were comparable to those of the \(\mathrm{EAP}_{200}\) group (Table 5). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Groups**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Absolute Weights (g)**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Relative Weights (\% of Body Weights)**} \\ \cline{2-6}  & **Thymus** & **Spleen** & **LN** & **Thymus** & **Spleen** & **LN** \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{l}{Controls} \\ \hline Intact & 0.069 \(\pm\) 0.007 & 0.123 \(\pm\) 0.009 & 0.015 \(\pm\) 0.003 & 0.181 \(\pm\) 0.021 & 0.326 \(\pm\) 0.024 & 0.039 \(\pm\) 0.007 \\ CPA & 0.014 \(\pm\) 0.003 a & 0.048 \(\pm\) 0.008 a & 0.003 \(\pm\) 0.001 c & 0.037 \(\pm\) 0.006 a & 0.127 \(\pm\) 0.023 a & 0.008 \(\pm\) 0.002 c \\ \(\mathrm{EAP}_{200}\) & 0.028 \(\pm\) 0.007 a & 0.068 \(\pm\) 0.008 a & 0.006 \(\pm\) 0.001 c & 0.073 \(\pm\) 0.017 a & 0.181 \(\pm\) 0.025 a & 0.015 \(\pm\) 0.012 c \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{l}{Test materials} \\ \hline AR\({}_{400}\) & 0.046 \(\pm\) 0.010 ab & 0.084 \(\pm\) 0.012 ab & 0.009 \(\pm\) 0.002 c & 0.121 \(\pm\) 0.023 ab & 0.221 \(\pm\) 0.039 ab & 0.023 \(\pm\) 0.005 c \\ AR\({}_{200}\) & 0.035 \(\pm\) 0.008 ab & 0.075 \(\pm\) 0.007 ab & 0.007 \(\pm\) 0.001 c & 0.094 \(\pm\) 0.019 ab & 0.200 \(\pm\) 0.022 ab & 0.018 \(\pm\) 0.004 c \\ AR\({}_{100}\) & 0.028 \(\pm\) 0.010 ab & 0.067 \(\pm\) 0.007 ab & 0.006 \(\pm\) 0.001 c & 0.073 \(\pm\) 0.024 ab & 0.179 \(\pm\) 0.021 ab & 0.015 \(\pm\) 0.002 c \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* CPA = cyclophosphamide administered group; \(\mathrm{EAP}_{200}=A\). _pullulus_ purified exopolymer administered group at a dose of 200 mg/kg; AR\({}_{400}\). 200, and \({}_{100}\) = Astraglia Radix (Roots of \(A\). _membranccus_ Bunge) extract administered mice groups at doses of 400, 200, and 100 mg/kg, respectively; LN = submandibular lymph node; THSD = Tukey’s honest significant difference test; DT3 = Dunnett’s T3; \({}^{p}<0.01\) as compared with intact control by THSD test; \({}^{b}\) = \(p<0.01\) as compared with CPA control by THSD test; \({}^{d}\) = \(p<0.01\) as compared with CPA control by the DT3 test.  
\end{table} 
Table 3: Lymphatic organ weights in intact and CPA-induced immunosuppressive mice.