[Effects of drug cupping therapy on immune function in chronic asthmatic bronchitis patients during protracted period].
To observe the clinical effect of drug cupping therapy (DCT, cupping therapy with pingchuan ointment made by the authors themselves in the cups) on chronic asthmatic bronchitis (CAB) during the protracted period, and explore its effect on immune function.


METHODS
Seventy-seven patients were randomly divided into two groups:the treated group (n=40) treated by orally taken Liuwei Dihuang Pill (LDP) and DCT and the control group (n=37) with LDP and common cupping therapy without drug in cups. The changes of T-lymphocyte subset, levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin (IL), immunoglobulin (Ig), complement 3 and 4 (C3 and C4) were detected before and after treatment.


RESULTS
The total effective rate was higher in the treated group than that in the control group (90.0% vs. 59.5%, P < 0.01). The levels of CD4+, CD4+ /CD8+, IL-2, IFN-gamma, C3, C4, IgA, IgG and IgM increased, while the levels of IgE, IL-4, IL-10 and CD8+ decreased after treatment in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the improvements were better in the treated group than that in the control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
DCT shows better curative effects than that of common cupping therapy without drug, it could improve the cellular and humoral immunity in CAB patients.
Zhang
Cai-qing
CQ
Shandong Provincial Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan.
Liang
Tie-jun
TJ
Zhang
Wei
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007376:Interleukin-2; C476907:liu-wei-di-huang wan; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma