• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.710-718
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• 2006

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Chihyo-san (CHS) administration on asthma induced by Alum/OVA treatment in the mice. In CHS-treated animal group, lung weight, which was increased after asthma induction, was significantly decreased, and total number of cells in the lung, peripheral lymph node (PLN) and spleen tissue was significantly decreased in CHS-treated group compared to the asthma control group. The number of immune cells including natural killer (NK) cells in asthmatic animals was largely regulated by CHS treatment, showing a similar pattern as that of CsA-treated positive control group. Levels of mRNAs encoding inflammatory cytokines IL-5, IL-13, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and eotaxin were determined by RT-PCR in the lung tissue and showed decreases in CHS-treated group to the similar levels of CsA-treated control group, Histamine level in the serum was significantly lower in CHS-treated group than asthma-induced control group. Both haematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining results showed decreased number of inflammatory cells, reduced immune cell infiltration, and normalized epithelial cell layering in the bronchial tissue of CHS-treated mouse group. Thus, the present findings suggest that CHS may be useful for protecting bronchial tissues from consistent inflammatory damages that occur in asthma patients.