title: Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Inflammatory Mediators in Pediatric Asthma.
abstract: Objective. To observe the effects of empirical prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on inflammatory mediators in pediatric asthma and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism in the treatment of asthma. Methods. A total of 182 children with asthma were randomly placed into either the TCM group (n = 97) or the salbutamol and montelukast (SM) group (n = 85). Patients in the TCM group were treated with a series of empirical prescriptions of TCM, while those in the SM group received salbutamol and montelukast. Both groups received their respective treatment for 12 weeks. There were 35 patients in TCM group and 34 patients in SM group providing venous blood. Real-time PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of interleukin- (IL-) 10, IL-17, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of IL-10, IL-17, MMP-9, and TGF-β1 in peripheral blood before and after treatment. Results. The mRNA expression of TGF-β1 in the SM group was downregulated (P = 0.00) after treatment. No significant differences were found between the TCM group and the SM group after treatment (P > 0.05). In the TCM group, the levels of IL-10, IL-17, and MMP-9 significantly decreased after treatment (P = 0.01, 0.04, and 0.03, resp.). In the SM group, IL-17, MMP-9, and TGF-β1 levels significantly decreased after treatment (P = 0.00, 0.03, and 0.00, resp.). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the levels of IL-10, IL-17, TGF-β1, and MMP-9 (P > 0.05). The difference of the level of IL-17 was negatively correlated with the change of C-ACT score in TCM group and SM group. Conclusion. TCM has a regulatory effect on the balance of some inflammatory mediators in pediatric asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No. 399, Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1966-518X
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No. 399, Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Yonghong
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4756-2081
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No. 399, Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Yumin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3227-1273
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No. 399, Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No. 399, Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No. 399, Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Yiqun
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8995-4000
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000420:Albuterol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013440:Sulfides; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D020381:Interleukin-17; D011804:Quinolines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013440:Sulfides; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016753:Interleukin-10; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C093875:montelukast; D000420:Albuterol