Abstract: Objective To investigate the regulating effect of Bailing capsule on autoimmunity in patients with Graves disease(GD). Methods Eighty-four patients with GD were divided into the control group(n=42), which was treated with methimazole, and the experimental group(n=42), which was treated with methimazole combined with Bailing capsule(2 grams each time, three times a day)for 6 months. The levels of thyroid function(FT3, FT4, TSH), antithyroid peroxidase antibody(TPO-Ab), thyrotrophin receptor antibody(TR-Ab ), and subsets of T-lymphocytes(CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺)were measured before treatment, and 1 months, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment. Results (1) The thyroid function of the two groups had no statistical difference after treatment(P>0.05); (2) After treatment, the levels of TPO-Ab and TR-Ab in the experimental group were lower than pretherapy(P<0.001); compared with the control group,the Abs also decreased significantly(P<0.001); (3) course of treatment could influence the level of TR-Ab; (4) After six months of treatment, the CD4⁺ T cells in the experimental group decreased(P=0.003), CD8⁺ T cells increased(P=0.046), and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ decreased(P=0.027)markedly than the control group. Conclusion The Bailing capsule can effectively decrease the levels of TPO-Ab and TR-Ab in GD patients, and regulate the cellular immune functions, accordingly improve the immune disorder.

Key words: Fermentative cordycep fungal powder(Bailing capsule), Graves disease, Thyroid autoantibody, Cellular immune