[Effect of xiaochaihu decoction and different herbal formulations of its components on cytokines of carrageenan induced pleuritis in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the anti-inflammatory effect and possible mechanism of Xiaochaihu Decoction (XCHD) and the different herbal formulations of its components.


METHODS
Rat model of pleuritis was established by thoracic injecting 0.2 ml of 1% carrageenan. Rats in the treated groups were medicated with XCHD (11 g/kg) and the different herbal formulations of its components respectively as follows: thorowax root-scutellaria root (A, 3.5 g/kg), fresh ginger-pinellia tuber (B, 3 g/kg), ginseng-licorice root-jujube (C, 4.5 g/kg), A + B (6.5 g/kg), A + C (8 g/kg) and B + C (7.5 g/kg), and those in the normal group and the model group were given equal volume of instilled water, by way of gastrogavage for successive 5 days. Modeling was performed 2 hrs after the last medication. The amount of pleurorrhea, and leucocyte (WBC), marrow peroxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in pleurorrhea, and serum level of interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured 12 hrs after modeling.


RESULTS
As compared with the model group, all the parameters measured were lower in all the treated group (P < 0.05) , and IL-1beta content in pleurorrhea in the XCHD group and Group A, B and C were significantly lower (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
XCHD and the different herbal formulations have obvious anti-inflammatory effect, showing certain preventive and therapeutic effect on pleuritis. Among the different formulations, the XCHD, A, B and C had better effects. The effects might be related to inhibiting the increase of cytokines as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-8 to suppress the activation, infiltration and wandering of leucocytes.
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029. mysun248@hotmail.com
Ming-yu
MY
Sun
Ming
M
Xie
Na
N
Zhang
Liying
L
Yi
Shouyong
S
Wang
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C461320:shosaiko-to; D002351:Carrageenan