Regulatory effects of stage-treatment with established Chinese herbal formulas on inflammatory mediators in pediatric asthma

OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulatory effects of established Chinese herbal formulas on inflammatory mediators released during asthma attacks, and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of asthma. METHODS: Seventy-five asthmatic children were randomly divided into a Chinese medication group (45 cases) and a Western medication control group (30 cases). Patients in the Chinese medication group were treated with a series of established Chinese herbal formulas, whereas the Western medication control group received a leukotriene receptor antagonist and a bronchial relaxant. Real-time PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-4, cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1), and interferon (IFN)-gamma in peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the peripheral blood levels of IL-4, leukotriene (LTE)-4, and INF-gamma before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the mRNA expression levels of IL-4 and CysLTR1 were down-regulated (P<0.01) and the mRNA expression levels of IFN-gamma were up-regulated (P<0.05) in the Chinese medication and Western medication groups; no significant difference was found between the two groups. In the Chinese medication group, IL-4 blood level was decreased and it was significantly different from that in the Western medication group (P<0.05); there was also a significant increase in IFN-gamma blood levels after treatment with Chinese medication (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in LTE-4 blood levels between the two groups before and after treatment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese medication has a regulatory effect on leukotriene receptor gene expression and the imbalance of Th1/Th2 immune cells during asthma attacks in pediatric patients. (C) 2013 JTCM. All rights reserved.