Objective: To study the action mechanism of Yiqi Yangyin recipe with supplementing Qi and nourishing Yin)in treating leukemia by observing the effects of Yiqi Yangyin recipe and its separated recipes on expressions of Cytochrome C(Cyt-C)

apoptotic protease activating factor 1(Apaf-1)

the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase/direct IAP-blinding protein with low PI(Smac/Diablo)

apoptosis-inducing factors(AIF) in acute myeloid leukemic cells.Method: NOD/SCID mice were taken as the research platform and injected with KG-1a cells through tail vein to establish the model of human acute myeloid leukemia. The model mice were randomly divided into Quanfang group

Fuzheng group

Quxie group and control group. The spleen cell suspensions of NOD/SCID mice were prepared to measure the cell apoptosis rates by flow cytometry. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the mitochondrial-related apoptosis factors in bone marrow of mice

including Cyt-C

Apaf-1

Smac/Diablo and AIF.Result: After treatment

the survival time of treatment groups were significantly longer than that of control group(P<0.01)

the survival time of Quanfang group mice were longer than that of Fuzheng group and Quxie group(P<0.01)

the survival time of Quxie group mice were longer than that of Fuzheng group mice(P<0.01). The cell apoptosis rate in all treatment groups was significantly higher than that of control group(P<0.01)

the cell apoptosis rate of Quanfang group were higher than that of Fuzheng group and Quxie group(P<0.01)

and the cell apoptosis rate of Quxie group were higher than that of Fuzheng group(P<0.01). With respect to the expressions of Cyt-C

Apaf-1

Smac/Diablo and AIF in bone marrow of mice

the treatment groups were higher than control group(P<0.05)

particularly Cyt-C and Apaf-1(P<0.01). All of the above expressions of Quanfang group were higher than those of Fuzheng group and Quxie group(P<0.01). Quxie group was higher than Fuzheng group(P<0.05)

particularly Cyt-C

Apaf-1 and Smac/Diablo(P<0.01). In terms of the effect on each tested indicator

Quanfang group was better than Fuzheng group and Quxie group

and Quxie group was better than Fuzheng group.Conclusion: Yiqi Yangyin recipe can increase the cell apoptosis rate in NOD/SCID

improve the expression of the mitochondrial-related apoptosis factors Cyt-C

Apaf-1

Smac/Diablo and AIF

induce apoptosis of leukemia cells and inhibit the proliferation of leukemia cells

which may be associated with the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.