title: [Effect of modified shegan mahuang decoction on cytokines in children patients with cough and variant asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the influence of modified Shegan Mahuang Decoction (SGMH) on cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-13 in children suffered from cough and variant asthma (C&VA).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty-four children with C&VA were randomly assigned to two groups: 79 in the treatment group were medicated orally with SGMH one dose per day taking in twice; 75 in the control group were medicated with Montelukast once a day in dose of 4 mg for children aged from 2 to 5 years and 5 mg for those from 6 to 14 years, the medication for all was given 4 weeks. Serum contents of cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-13, in patients were measured before and after treatment. Besides, serum contents of these cytokines in 45 healthy children were measured for control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-3 in the treatment group were 2510 +/- 1500 ng/L and 60.76 +/- 23.67 ng/L, and in the control group, 2890 +/- 1410 ng/L and 61.56 +/- 20.37 ng/L, respectively, all were significantly higher than those of healthy (709 +/- 280 ng/L and 39.49 +/- 3.09 ng/L, P < 0.01); but level of IL-10 was significant lower in the two patient groups than that in control (1546 +/- 1434 ng/L and 1823 +/- 1314 ng/L vs 7123 +/- q2641 ng/L, P < 0.01). After treatment, the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-13 decreased and IL-10 increased significantly in the treatment group, and showed significant different to those in the control group respectively (960 +/- 420 ng/L, 43.67 +/- 12.37 ng/L and 6834 +/- 2216 ng/L vs 2610 +/- 1220 ng/L, 50.56 +/-19.56 ng/L and 2529 +/- 1223 ng/L, P < 0.01). Clinical efficacy between groups also showed that the total effective rate in the treatment group was significantly better (86.07% vs. 42.67%, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SGMH can regulate the serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-13, and shows evident clinical effect in treating children's C&VA.
authors.affiliation: Dongyang Hengdian Group Hospital, Zhejiang.
authors.forename: Zhi-xing
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029790:Ephedra sinica; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000097:blood; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018793:Interleukin-13; D007377:Interleukin-3; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10