Effect of kebimin decoction on serum levels of adhesion molecule and Th1/Th2 cytokines in patients with allergic rhinitis / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanisms of Kebimin decoction (KD) in treating allergic rhinitis (AR).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patients with AR were randomly divided into two groups, patients in the treated group (TG) were treated with KD, those in the control group (CG) were given Xinfang rhinitis capsule. The serum levels of adhesion molecule (sICAM-1, P-selectin), Th1 cytokines, including interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-2 (IL-2), and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment, and compared with those in 30 healthy subjects as control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum levels of adhesion molecule and Th2 cytokines were higher and Th1 cytokines were lower in AR patients than those in healthy control (P < 0.01). After treatment, these indexes were restored significantly (P < 0.01) in the treated group, but no significant change was found in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KD has definite effect in treating allergic rhinitis by inhibiting production of adhesion molecule and regulating the levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines to correct the imbalanced Th1/Th2 cytokines network.</p>

Effect of kebimin decoction in treating allergic rhinitis and on blood levels of nitric oxide and superoxide dismutase / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of Kebimin decoction (KD) on allergic rhinitis (AR) and its effect on blood levels of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-two AR patients were randomly divided into two groups, the treated group and the control group, 41 in each group. To the treated group, KD was given one dose per day for 10 days as one therapeutic course and 1-3 courses were given successively. The control group was treated with Xinfang Rhinitis capsule for 30 days. Blood levels were determined and compared before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate in the treated group was 93%, which was better than that in the control group (51%), the difference was significant (chi 2 = 17.704, P < 0.01). Serum level of NO was higher and that of SOD activity was lower in the AR patients than that in healthy persons (P < 0.01), KD could significantly lower the former and increase the latter (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of KD in treating AR was significant, its mechanism might be related with the lowering of NO and increasing of SOD activity in serum, as well as the scavenging of oxygen free radical.</p>