title: Effects of Chinese medicinal herbs on a rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of two kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs, Isatis tinctoria L (ITL) and Daphne giraldii Nitsche (DGN), on a rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection mimicking cystic fibrosis (CF). Compared to the control group, both drugs were able to reduce the incidence of lung abscess (p < 0.05) and to decrease the severity of the macroscopic pathology in lungs (p < 0.05). In the great majority of the rats, the herbs altered the inflammatory response in the lungs from an acute type inflammation, dominated by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), to a chronic type inflammation, dominated by mononuclear leukocytes (MN). DGN also improved the clearance of P. aeruginosa from the lungs (p < 0.03) compared with the control group. There were no significant differences between the control group and the two herbal groups with regard to serum IgG and IgA anti-P. aeruginosa sonicate antibodies. However, the IgM concentration in the ITL group was significantly lower than in the control group (p < 0.03). These results suggest that the two medicinal herbs might be helpful to CF patients with chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection, DGN being the most favorable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Høiby
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003470:Culture Media; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000362:Agar