title: [Effect of Yupingfeng San against OVA-induced allergic asthma in mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of Yupingfeng San (YPFS) against OVA-induced allergic asthma in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were injected with OVA to establish the allergic asthma model. They were abdominally injected with 20 microg OVA on day 0 and 14, and inhaled aerosol 0.5% OVA solution for 20 min for seven days. The blank control group was administrated with equal volume of saline. YPFS groups with different doses were administrated intragastrically with YPFS every day, with the crude drug dosage of 3.25, 6.5, 13 g x kg(-1), respectively. The model group and control group were administrated with equal volume of saline. The positive control group was given intraperitoneally injected with 1 mg x kg(-1) DEX since aerosol inhalation. Blood was drawn after the last OVA aerosol inhalation to count the number of Eosnophils (Eos) in blood and detect IgE in serum; BALF was collected to count the number of cells and classify; right lung tissues were evenly grinded to detect cytokines IL-4 and IFN-gamma, and left upper lung lobes were collected for pathologic histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of Eos and IgE in serum increased significantly in the model group, and a large number of Eos were detected in BALF. Histopathological changes in lung showed bronchial serous exudation, tubular epithelial cells exfoliation, tube narrowing, widened alveolar septum, and bronchial periarterial lymphocytes infiltration. Homogenate of lung tissues showed increase of IL-4, and decrease in IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio. YPFS groups with different doses displayed decrease of Eos in blood and BALF and IgE content in serum, and relief of pathologic changes in above models. Meanwhile, IL-4 content in homogenate of lung tissues decreased, with the increase in IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  YPFS shows the inhibitory effects on OVA-induced allergic asthma, involving down regulation of Eos and IgE levels in blood of asthma mice, and infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissues. Meanwhile, it can reduce IL-4 in lung homogenates, increase IFN-gamma/IL-4, and inhibits Th2 polarization.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacologic Laboratory for Standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicine under State Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of Traditional Chinee Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China. wanghuizhu1986@sina.com
authors.forename: Hui-Zhu
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Yong-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Hui-Qin
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C532967:yupingfeng; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin