Effects Of Qiqin Decoction On Airway Remodeling And Underlying Mechanism In Asthmatic Rats

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of herbal compound Qiqin decoction on airwayremodeling and its possible mechanism and whether is superior by establishingthe rats model of asthma and detecting the changes of some indexs which arerelated to airway remodeling after treatment. Then provide a theoretical basisfor the clinical application of the Qiqin decoction in asthma.MethodsThirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal group,asthma model group, budesonide (BUD) group and Qiqin decoction group. Theasthma model was induced by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitizing and challenging.Corresponding medicine treatments were started from the first challenge. Aftersix weeks, the count and classification of inflammatory cells in peripheral bloodwere detected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was usedto test the concentration of Urotensin-Ⅱ (U-Ⅱ) in serum and BALF.Haematoxylin and eosin stain was used to measure the thickness of airway wall.And immunohistochemical staining was applied to detect the protein expressionlevel of VEGF in pulmonary tissue.Results1. Compared the asthma model group with the normal group, the thicknessof airway wall, the count of eosinophils (EOS) in peripheral blood, theconcentration of U-Ⅱ in serum and BALF and theprotein expression level of VEGF in pulmonary tissue were higher.2. Compared the BUD group and the Qiqin decoction group with theasthma model group, the airway wall become thinner, the count of EOS inperipheral blood reduced, the concentration of U-Ⅱin serum and BALF was cutdown and the protein expression level of VEGF in pulmonary tissue declined.3. Compared with the BUD group, the thickness of airway wall and theconcentration of U-Ⅱ in serum and BALF were reducedin the Qiqin decoctiongroup, but the count of EOS was higher. While there were no significantdiffirence in the count of other inflammatory cells and the expression level ofVEGF between the two groups.Conclusions1. The herbal compound Qiqin decoction can obviously suppress theprogress of airway remodeling in the rats model of asthma.2. The possible mechanism which the Qiqin decoction suppresses theairway remodeling possibly include relieving the EOS inflammatory, decreasingthe secretion of U-Ⅱand weakening the expression of VEGF.3. The Qiqin decoction is superior in suppressing the airway remodeling inasthma.