[Inhibitory effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza injection coordinated with dexamethasone on interleukin-13 and eotaxin expression in lung of asthmatic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the molecular mechanism of inhibitory effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza Injection (SMI) coordinated with dexamethasone (DXM) on allergic airway inflammation in asthmatic rats.


METHODS
Forty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups equally: the normal group, the asthma model group, the DXM group, the SMI group and the DXM + SMI group, they were treated with correspondant herbal medicines. Pathologic changes of lung tissue were obseved with HE stain, count of WBC and eosinophil (Eos) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were estimated and the expressions of interleukin-13 (IL-13) and Eotaxin in lung tissue were measured by RT-PCR and SP method of immunohistochemistry assay.


RESULTS
There was moderate inflammation in lung tissue in the SMI group, and mild inflammation in the DXM + SMI and the DXM group, which was similar to that in the normal group. Compared with the asthma model group, Eos and WBC count in BALF and the expression of IL-13 and Eotaxin in the lung tissue were significantly lower in the three treated groups (P < 0.05), particularly in the DXM + SMI group, showing a significant difference as compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Additionally, IL-13 expression was positively correlated with Eotaxin expression (r = 0.92, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
SMI could inhibit the expression of IL-13 and Eotaxin in the lung of asthmatic rats, showing inhibitory effects synergistic with DXM on airway inflammation.
Li
Dan
D
Respiratory Disease, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technol-ogy, Wuhan.
Xiong
Sheng-dao
SD
Du
De-bing
DB
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054413:Chemokine CCL11 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018793:Interleukin-13; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003907:Dexamethasone