The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China.
Department of Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Mar 28;152(3):568-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.02.006. Epub 2014 Feb 15.
Aqueous extract of Qu Feng Xuan Bi Formula (QFXBF, a Chinese herb formula) which composed of Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata, Paeonia sterniana Fletcher in Journ, Pheretima, Allium macrostemon Bunge, Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch) Bunge and Divaricate Saposhnikovia Root has been used in treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma (ARA) as an approved hospital prescription for many years in Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of the aqueous extract of QFXBF in the gene expression of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and the manners of immune modulation of T cell-associated interleukin (IL-4 and IL-13) in rat ARA models.
Fifty SD male rats were divided into five groups: not treated group, OVA only group (treated only with OVA), dexamethasone (DXM) group, low dose QFXBF group and high dose QFXBF group randomly (n=10 per group). Rat allergic rhinitis and asthma model was developed by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and nose infusion. Pathological changes of nasal tissue and lungs were examined by H&E staining. Gene expressions of TLR9, Stat 3, Jak-1 and C-Jun in nasal tissue were assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The serum and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) levels of T cell-associated interleukin (IL-4 and IL-13) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
The ARA model was successfully established. Marked EOS count was observed in BALF from ARA models. The aqueous extract of QFXBF could reduce EOS levels and increase TLR9 expression, but did not affect the gene expression of Stat-3 and Jak-1 and C-Jun. The reduction of IL-13 concentration in serum from high dose QFXBF group was observed in BALF, albeit not significantly. Despite the not treated group, serum levels of IL-4 had significantly increased in other four groups (P<0.001, n=4-6) but made higher in low dose QFXBF group and DXM group (P<0.05, n=4-6).
This study originally provides the evidence that the aqueous extract of Qu Feng Xuan Bi Formula alone is effective in the treatment of anaphylactic rhinitis-asthma symptoms. The extract of Qu Feng Xuan Bi Formula was effective to reduce the eosophil recruitment to the lung. In addition it increased the IL-4 concentration in the BALF and expression of TLR9 in the nasal tissue. No alteration was observed in the IL-13 concentration in the BALF and expression of STAT-3, JAK-1 and C-Jun in nasal tissue. The results thereby scientifically provided mechanism of these aqueous extract of QFXBF in improvement of ARA and supported its clinical use.
由甘草、炙甘草、赤芍、白僵蚕、土鳖虫、黄芪和防风组成的祛风平喘方（QFXBF）的水提物已在中国江苏省中医院作为批准的医院处方多年来用于治疗过敏性鼻炎和哮喘（ARA）。本研究旨在探讨 QFXBF 水提物对大鼠 ARA 模型中 Toll 样受体 9（TLR9）基因表达和 T 细胞相关白细胞介素（IL-4 和 IL-13）免疫调节方式的影响。
将 50 只 SD 雄性大鼠随机分为五组：未治疗组、OVA 组（仅用 OVA 治疗）、地塞米松（DXM）组、低剂量 QFXBF 组和高剂量 QFXBF 组（每组 10 只）。通过卵清蛋白（OVA）致敏和鼻内输注建立大鼠过敏性鼻炎和哮喘模型。通过 H&E 染色检查鼻组织和肺的病理变化。通过实时聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）测定鼻组织中 TLR9、Stat 3、Jak-1 和 C-Jun 的基因表达。通过酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）测定血清和支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中 T 细胞相关白细胞介素（IL-4 和 IL-13）的水平。
ARA 模型成功建立。在 ARA 模型的 BALF 中观察到 EOS 计数明显增加。QFXBF 水提物可降低 EOS 水平并增加 TLR9 表达，但不影响 Stat-3、Jak-1 和 C-Jun 的基因表达。高剂量 QFXBF 组血清中 IL-13 浓度降低，但差异无统计学意义。尽管未治疗组，其他四组血清 IL-4 水平均显著升高（P<0.001，n=4-6），但低剂量 QFXBF 组和 DXM 组升高更为明显（P<0.05，n=4-6）。
本研究首次提供了祛风平喘方水提物单独治疗过敏性鼻炎-哮喘症状有效的证据。该提取物对减少嗜酸性粒细胞向肺的募集有效。此外，它增加了 BALF 中的 IL-4 浓度和鼻组织中的 TLR9 表达。BALF 中 IL-13 浓度和鼻组织中 STAT-3、JAK-1 和 C-Jun 的表达无变化。结果从科学上提供了这些 QFXBF 水提物改善 ARA 的机制，并支持其临床应用。
