RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study changes of several related indexes of neuro-endocrino-immune (NEI) network in rat asthma model, and to observe effects of epimedium herb (EH, a Chinese herb for replenishing Shen) and milkvetch root (MR, a Chinese herb for strengthening qi) on these indexes. METHODS: One hundred and twenty male healthy Brown Norway rats of clean grade were randomly divided into 11 groups. Their mRNA expression of corticoid release hormone (CRH) in hypothalamus was tested by Realtime-PCR, serum ACTH and CORT, IL-6, IL-4, IFN-gamma were detected with radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay respectively and pathological changes of lung tissue were observed with hematoxylin and eosin stain. RESULTS: As compared with the normal group, mRNA expression of CRH in hypothalamic tissue, plasma ACTH and serum concentration of IFN-gamma not changed significantly, but serum level of CORT raised significantly and the pre-inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-4 showed an increasing trend in the model rats. As compared with the model group, level of CRH mRNA expression in groups treated with low dose and moderate dose of both EH and the formula (HE and MR), IFN-gamma in group treated with moderate dose of EH and serum CORT in group treated with low dose of MR were higher, and serum levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in groups treated with high dose of MR were lower. CONCLUSION: Rats suffered from repeated asthmatic attack for three weeks had some disorders in indexes of NEI network. Chinese herbs for replenish Shen and strengthening qi could improve the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and adjust the balance of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, which might be one of the mechanisms of Chinese herbs for treatment of repeated asthma attack.
Assuntos
Asma/tratamento farmacológico , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Sistema Hipotálamo-Hipofisário/efeitos dos fármacos , Hormônio Adrenocorticotrópico/sangue , Animais , Asma/imunologia , Astrágalo/química , Hormônio Liberador da Corticotropina/genética , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Epimedium/química , Sistema Hipotálamo-Hipofisário/imunologia , Interferon gama/sangue , Interleucina-4/sangue , Interleucina-6/sangue , Masculino , Fitoterapia , RNA Mensageiro/biossíntese , RNA Mensageiro/genética , Radioimunoensaio , Distribuição Aleatória , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos BN , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase ReversaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the change and the effect of milkvetch root (MR) on neuro-endocrino-immune (NEI) network related indexes in repeated asthmatic attack model rats. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into five groups: the normal group (A), the model group (B), and the three treated groups (C, D, E) treated with low, medium and high dose of the MR by gastrogavage. The corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA expression in hypothalamus was tested by Realtime-PCR, serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) were detected with radioimmunoassay, serum IL-6, IL-4, IFN-gamma determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the lung tissue pathology was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. RESULTS: As compared with the normal group, in the rats 3 weeks after modeling, CRH mRNA expression, blood IFN-gamma and plasma ACTH were unchanged, serum level of CORT raised significantly (P<0.05), IL-6 and IL-4 showed an increasing trend but without significance. Low dose of MR could promote the production of serum CORT, and hight dose of MR could down-regulate the concentrations of IL-4 and IL-6 (P<0.01). No significant difference was found in comparison of pathological changes of lung tissue among the groups. CONCLUSION: Rats suffered from repeated asthmatic attack have some disorders in indexes of NEI, MR could enhance the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis and adjust the balance of Th1 and Th2 cytokines to alleviate the inflammation of asthma.
