title: [Effects of huai qi huang on cytokines Th1, Th2 and Th17 and phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in rats with asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of huai qi huang, a traditional Chinese medicine, on cytokines Th1, Th2 and Th17 levels and alveolar macrophage phagocytosis in asthmatic rats sensitized by ovalbumin (OVA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control, untreated asthma, budesonide-treated, huai qi huang-treated and budesonide+huai qi huang-treated asthma (n=8 each). Asthma was induced by OVA sensitization and challenge. The levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-17 in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured using ELISA. The phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages which were isolated and purified from BALF was evaluated by the colorimetric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 increased, in contrast, the IFN-γ level decreased in plasma and BALF in the untreated asthma group compared with those in the normal control group. The IFN-γ level in the huai qi huang-treated asthma group was higher than that in the untreated asthma group. The IFN-γ level increased and the IL-17 level decreased more significantly in the budesonide+huai qi huang-treated asthma group when compared with the budesonide and huai qi huang alone treatment groups. The phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in the untreated asthma group was lower than that in the normal control group. Huai qi huang alone or combined with budesonide increased the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages compared with the normal control, untreated asthma and budesonid-treated asthma groups. The levels of IFN-γ in plasma and BALF were positively correlated with the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 increase and the IFN-γ level decreases in plasma and BALF, and the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages decreases in asthmatic rats. Huai qi huang treatment may increase the IFN-γ expression in plasma and BALF and the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in asthmatic rats. There is a synergistic effect between huai qi huang and glucocorticoids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing-Nan
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lan-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Shuai
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhu-Wen
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines