title: [The research on xiaochalhu decoction improving the inflammation of chronic glomerulonephritis patients and relieving the proteinuria].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the balance of T help cell1/2 (Th1/Th2), the changes of correlated proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-4), and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and the abnormal expression of IL-17, the effector of T help cell17 (Th17) in chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN)patients with Shaoyang disease, thus revealing the mechanisms of Xiaochaihu Decoction (XD) for treating proteinuria of CGN patients according to the theory of mediating Shaoyang meridian.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 70 CGN patients with Shaoyang disease were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group (treated by XD) and the control group [treated by Shenyan Kangfu Tablet (SKT)], 35 in each group. Besides, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group. Besides, routine therapy of chronic kidney disease (CKD), patients in the treatment group and the control group were treated with XD and SKT respectively for 4 weeks. The changes of Chinese medical syndrome, the effectiveness, 24-h urinary protein, renal functions, the peripheral blood IFN-gamma, IL-4, Th1/Th2, IL-17, and RANTES were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before treatment the Th1/Th2, IL-17, and RANTES of the two treated groups were higher, and the IL-4 level was lower than those of the healthy control group (P < 0.05). After treatment the improvement of Chinese medical syndrome, main symptoms, the effectiveness was better in the XD group than in the SKT group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The proteinuria obviously decreased in the treatment group, with the efficacy superior to the SKT group (P < 0.05). The Th1/Th2, IL-17, and RANTES decreased to various degrees when compared with the SKT group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The IL-4 level increased more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the improvement of the renal function (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immune disorder of the CGN patients with Shaoyang disease was correlated with Th1/Th2 imbalance, and abnormal changes of Th17 cell functions and RANTES. XD could improve the inflammation by regulating the immune disorder of CGN patients with Shaoyang disease, which proved that the theory of mediating Shaoyang meridian could be used to improve the inflammation of CGN patients, thus relieving the proteinuria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ping-Dong
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Li-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Wei-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Jian-Dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C483024:CCL5 protein, human; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C550200:xiaochaihu; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma