[Effects of kidney nourishing and spleen invigorating recipes on glucocorticoid receptors of pulmonary tissue and plasma corticosterone in asthmatic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of Guiqi San (GQS, a Chinese herbal preparation with effect of Kidney Nourishing and Spleen Invigorating), Bushen Dingchuan Tang (BSDCT, with effects of Kidney Nourishing) and Liujunzi Tang (LJZT, with effect of Spleen Invigorating) on glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) and plasma corticosterone (PCC) in asthmatic rats.


METHODS
The asthmatic model of rats made by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin two weeks before, and the asthma consecutively challenged daily with spray inhalation of 1% ovalbumin for 7 days. The asthmatic rat treated with above-mentioned three recipes (per os) and Beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) were taken as treated groups and the asthmatic rat as control group. GCR density of the pulmonary tissue and PCC were determined by radioligand-binding assay and competitive protein radio-binding assay.


RESULTS
The RT value of GCR reduced gradually and PCC lowered also after asthma being developed. On day 7th, the three recipes could markedly up-regulate the RT of GCR and PCC. There was significant difference statistically as compared the pulmonary tissue GCR density and PCC of GQS (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), BSDCT (P < 0.05, P < 0.05) and LJZT (P < 0.05, P < 0.05) groups with those of control (asthmatic group) on the 7th day.


CONCLUSIONS
GQS, BSDCT and LJZT played an up-regulate role of GCR density and improvement of adrenocortical function in asthmatic rats in the management of asthma attacks.
Bao
Z
Z
Department of TCM Basic Theory, Shanghai University of TCM, Shanghai, China.
Wu
D
D
Chen
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010047:Ovalbumin; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D010047:Ovalbumin; D003345:Corticosterone