title: [Experimental study on treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus with langchuang-3 granule].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanism of action of Chinese drug Langchuang-3 Granule (LC-3) in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through observing its effects on body weight (BW), antinuclear antibody (ANA), spleen index and thymus index in BXSB SLE model mice, as well as the deposition of immune complex in mice' renal glomeruli.
  
  
  METHODS
  SLE model mice were randomized into 4 groups: the control group (A), the LC-3 treated group (B), the Western drug treated group (C), and the LC-3 combined Western drug treated group (D). BW of mice was dynamically observed; spleen index (SI) and thymus index (TI) were measured by weighting method; serum anti-ANA level was detected by ELISA; IgG and complement C3 in renal glomeruli were analysed by direct immunofluorescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BW of mice remarkably increased after treatment in Group B and D, showing a significant difference to that in Group A (P < 0.05). Lower TI level and higher SI level were found in the model mice. As compared with Group A, TI was higher in Group B and D, SI was lower in Group D, and both indices were lower in Group C (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Level of ANA decreased (converting from positive to negative) remarkably in all the three treated groups (P < 0.01). The fluorescence intensity of IgG and C3 in the renal tissue was weaker in Group B, C (both P < 0.05) and D (P < 0.01) than that in Group A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both LC-3 and Western medicine showed remarkable effects in treating SLE model mice, and the combination of the two could display an effect better than that of using either alone.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yun-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xin-Jian
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055048:Integrative Medicine; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C534229:langchuang