• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.198-210
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• 2002

Background : Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder under immunological influence. Shinbi-tang and Gamishinbi-tang are herbal decoctions used for treating asthma in traditional herbal medicine. Objective : To evaluate the effects of Shinbi-tang and Gamishinbi-tang on immune cell & serum OA-specific IgE in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in rat asthma model. Material and Methods : Rats were sensitized with ovalbumin (OA); at day 1 sensitized group and Shinbi-tang and Gamishinbi-tang groups were systemically immunized by subcutaneous injection of 1mg OA and 300mg of Al(OH)$_3$ in a total volume of 2ml. At the same time, 1 ml of 0.9% saline containing 6 x 10$^{9}$ B. pertussis bacilli was injected by i.p. 14 days after the systemic immunization, rats received local immunization by inhaling 0.9% saline aerosol containing 2%(wt/vol) OA. A day after local immunization, HAL fluid was collected from the rats. Rats were orally administered with each of Shinbi-tang and Gamishinbi-tang extract for 14 days from the day after local immunization. Lymphocyte, CD4+ T cell CD8+ T cell counts, CD4+/CD8+ ratio in BALF, change of serum OA-specific IgE level, CD4+ T cell CD8+ T cell percentages in the peripheral blood were measured and evaluated. Results : Shinbi-tang and Gamishinbi-tang showed an alleviating effect on asthmatic responses of rats. Shinbi-tang decreased total cell, lymphocyte, CD4+ T cell in BALF, serum OA-specific IgE level as compared with the control group. Gamishinbi-tang decreased total cell, lymphocyte, CD4+ T cell, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in HALF as compared with the control group. CD4+/CD8+ ratio in HALF from Shinbi-tang group and serum OA-specific IgE level from Gamishinbi-tang group didn't show any significant variation from control group. CD8+ T cell in HALF, CD3+CD4+ T cell and CD3+CD8+ T cell percentages in peripheral blood showed no significant variation among groups. Conclusion : Shinbi-tang and Gamishinbi-tang alleviated asthmatic hypen-eactivity of the rat immune system through CD4+ T cell and serum IgE. Further the study of immune system modulating mechanism is expected.