Shaoyaotang and Its Modified Formulas in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Shaoyaotang is composed of Cptidis Rhizoma， Scutellariae Radix， Rhei Radix et Rhizoma， Paeoniae Radix Alba， Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Aucklandiae Radix， Arecae Semen， Cinnamomi Cortex and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， with the functions of clearing away heat， eliminating dampness， regulating Qi and activating blood. Thus， it is proposed as the main formula for the treatment of dampness-heat dysentery by later generations of doctors. In modern clinical application， in addition to original Shaoyaotang， its modified formulas are also used for the treatment of ulcerative colitis， and can be used in combination with other prescriptions （such as Tongxie Yaofang， Pulsatilla Soup， Shenling Baizhu San）， western medicine （such as mesalazine， sulfasalazine， Infliximab）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） acupuncture or moxibustion and other characteristic therapies. Clinical efficacy results indicate that Shaoyaotang and its modified formulas can significantly lower Mayo Endoscopic Score （MES）， Baron score， TCM syndrome score and other disease scores， and improve patients’ intestinal symptoms， with few side effects. Experimental pharmacological studies reveal that Shaoyaotang can inhibit tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and other pro-inflammatory factors to up regulate the expression of anti-inflammatory factors such as interleukin-10 （IL-10）， thereby reducing the inflammatory response. The formula could also reduce apoptosis by regulating inflammatory signaling pathway and blocking the chain reaction， and repair abnormal immune barrier by balancing immune axis and regulating immune proteins. Additionally， it could adjust the balance of intestinal flora， promote intestinal epithelial cell regeneration and improve mucosal permeability， so as to restore the balance of intestinal environment and thus treat ulcerative colitis. Its monomers baicalin， paeoniflorin， and berberine have anti-inflammatory， antibacterial， metabolism-regulating and other effects. This paper systematically reviewed the clinical and basic research progress of Shaoyaotang in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.