title: So-Cheong-Ryong-Tang, a herbal medicine, modulates inflammatory cell infiltration and prevents airway remodeling via regulation of interleukin-17 and GM-CSF in allergic asthma in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  So-Cheong-Ryong-Tang (SCRT), herbal medicine, has been used for the control of respiratory disease in East Asian countries. However, its therapeutic mechanisms, especially an inhibitory effect on inflammatory cell infiltration and airway remodeling in allergic asthma are unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the mechanism of antiasthmatic effects of SCRT in allergic asthma in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the influence of SCRT on levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-4, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), ovalbumin (OVA)-specific IgE in serum, and histopathological changes in allergen-induced asthma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  So-Cheong-Ryong-Tang decreased levels of IL-17 and GM-CSF in BALF. IL-4, a Th2-driven cytokine, was also decreased by SCRT, but IFN-γ, a Th1-driven cytokine, was not changed. Levels of OVA-specific IgE in serum were also decreased by SCRT. With SCRT treatment, histopathological findings showed reduced tendency of inflammatory cell infiltration, and prevention from airway remodeling such as epithelial hyperplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we firstly demonstrated that regulation of IL-17 and GM-CSF production may be one of the mechanism contributed to a reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration and prevention from airway remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Korean Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Ilsan, 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chi-Yeon
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejon, 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bu-Yeo
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Korean Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su-In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cho
keywords: Asthma; So-Cheong-Ryong-Tang; granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor; herbal medicine; interleukin-17