[Effect of tripterygium polyglucoside on T-lymphocyte subsets and serum interleukin-5 level in asthma patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Tripterygium polyglucoside (TII) in treating asthma patients.


METHODS
Thirty asthma patients of middle or sever leoel were selected and randomly divided into three groups, Group A treated with TII, Group B treated with prednisone and Group C, the control group. Their peripheral CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocytes were counted by flow cytometer and serum interleukin-5 (IL-5) level determined by ELISA before and after 4 weeks' treatment.


RESULTS
In Group A, after treatment, CD4+ T-lymphocytes reduced from 0.462 +/- 0.035 to 0.426 +/- 0.039 (P < 0.01), CD8+ increased from 0.201 +/- 0.045 to 0.253 +/- 0.043 (P < 0.01), and serum IL-5 median concentration reduced from 65.3 ng/L to 10.9 ng/L (P < 0.01). Similar results was revealed in Group B, while there was insignificant change of the parameters in Group C. The serum concentration of IL-5 was positively correlated with the peripheral CD4+ count (r = 0.61, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
TII is highly effective in treating asthma through regulating T-lymphocyte subset disorder and inhibiting production of IL-5.
Wang
X H
XH
Medical Department of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Railway Medical College, Nanjing 210009.
Zhang
Z Y
ZY
D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D005260:Female; D005960:Glucosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D008517:Phytotherapy; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D029757:Tripterygium / Q000737:chemistry*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004224:Diterpenes; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D005960:Glucosides; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015848:Interleukin-5; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C001899:triptolide