[Effect of feishuling on production of tumor necrosis factor alpha from hamster alveolar macrophages].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine Feishuling on the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) from hamster alveolar macrophages in vitro and investigate the mechanism of its preventive and therapeutic effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases(COPD).


METHODS
Alveolar macrophages were harvested through bronchoalveolar lavage and cultured, Feishuling were added to the culture medium with lipopolysaccharide(LPS) simultaneously or 6 h after LPS. TNF-alpha production in the culture supernatants was tested by ELISA assay and the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in the cells was measured through in situ hybridization.


RESULTS
After administration of Feishuling, the content of TNF-alpha in the supernatants and the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in the cells were decreased more significantly than those in LPS stimulation group(P < 0.01), and there was a dose-effect relationship, but no significant differences were observed as compared with the simple culture medium group(P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The effect of reducing the production of TNF-alpha from alveolar macrophages and inhibiting the damage mediated by TNF-alpha might be a part of the mechanism of Feishuling to prevent and treat COPD.
Zhang
X
X
Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100037.
Ruan
Y
Y
Jiao
Z
Z
Han
X
X
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha