title: [Liangxuehuoxue Recipe inhibits expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α and transforming growth factor-β in the lung tissue of rats with X-ray exposure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of Liangxuehuoxue Recipe (LXHXF), a compound traditional Chinese medicinal preparation, on the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the lung tissue of rats exposed to X-ray radiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomized into exposure group (group A, without treatment) and small-, middle- and high-dose LXHXF groups (groups B, C, and D treated with LXHXF at the daily doses of 9, 18, and 36 g/kg, respectively). After X-ray exposure of the right lung at 3 Gy twice a week for 5 consecutive weeks, the rats were sacrificed at the end of the 5th, 12th and 26th weeks, and the lung tissues were taken for immunohistochemistry of the expressions of TNF-α and TGF-β.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A, the expression of TNF-α reached the peak level at 5 weeks and TGF-β expression was the highest at 12 and 26 weeks. LXHXF, especially at the middle and high doses, obviously inhibited the expression of TNF-α at 5 weeks; the treatments also resulted in significantly lowered expressions of TGF-β at all the time points of observation as compared with those in group A (P<0.01). The high- and middle-dose groups exhibited no significant difference in the expression levels of TNF-α and TGF-β in the experiment (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with LXHXF can effectively inhibit TNF-α expression in the lung tissue in the early stage following radiation exposure, causing even more obvious inhibitory effect on TGF-β in the later stages. A higher dose of LXHXF produces more significant inhibitory effects on TNF-α and TGF-β expressions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853,China. linmx301@sina.com
authors.forename: Ming-xiong
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming-hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yong-qi
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha