ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Shuanghuanglian injection on cerebral expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in mice with viral encephalitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The mice with experimental viral encephalitis received treatment with Shuanghuanglian injection at the dose of 0.2, 1.5, and 5 for 5, 10 or 20 consecutive days. The total RNA of the brain tissue was extracted to analyze the protein and mRNA expression of NF-kappaB using Western blotting and RT-PCR, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the mice with experimental viral encephalitis showed significantly increased protein and mRNA expressions of NF-kappaB (P<0.01). Treatment with Shuanghuanglian injection at the doses of 0.2 and 1.5 mg/kg significantly lowered NF-kappaB protein and mRNA expressions in the brain of mice with viral encephalitis (P<0.05), and the effect was even more obvious at the dose of 5 mg/kg (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Shuanghuanglian injection can reduce the expression of NF-kappaB in the brain of mice with viral encephalitis in a dose- and time-dependent manner.</p>