Effect of San-ao Decoction, a traditional Chinese prescription, on IL-4 treated normal human bronchial epithelium.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

San-ao Decoction (SA) is a classical prescription, clinically employed to treat asthma in Chinese medicine.

AIM OF STUDY:

The present study was designed to examine whether SA has a protective effect on normal human bronchial epithelium modeled by interleukin-4 (IL-4), in association with eotaxin-3.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

SA is made of three traditional Chinese medicines: Herba Ephedrae, Semen Armeniacae amarum and Radix Glycyrrhizae. Apoptosis was measured by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry with IL-4 activated NHBE. In addition, eotaxin-3 mRNA's expression was detected by RT-PCR in NHBE stimulated with IL-4.

RESULTS:

Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry showed that IL-4-induced normal human bronchial epithelium (NHBE) apoptosis, while SA decreased the apoptosis of NHBE with IL-4 stimulation. RT-PCR showed no expression or low expression of eotaxin-3 mRNA on NHBE, IL-4 enhanced the eotaxin-3 mRNA's expression, and that could be decreased by SA.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results indicate that SA can decrease NHBE's damage and inflammation through reducing eotaxin-3 mRNA expression.

• Authors: Yu Li, Ming-Yan Wang, Xin-sheng Fan, Xu Qi, Yan Chen, Huan Zhang, Qing-chun Zhao
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 131 Issue 1 Pg. 104-9 (Aug 19 2010) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 20561578 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Receptors, Interleukin-4
• San-Ao decoction
• Interleukin-4

Topics

• Apoptosis (drug effects, physiology)
• Bronchi (cytology, drug effects)
• Cell Line
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Humans
• Interleukin-4 (pharmacology)
• Random Allocation
• Receptors, Interleukin-4 (agonists, physiology)
• Respiratory Mucosa (cytology, drug effects)