%A Hong Zhang, Xiao-guang Xu, Jun Gu %T Impact of the method of cooling blood to remove stasis on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rats with experimental autoimmune thyroiditis %0 Journal Article %D 2008 %J Journal of Integrative Medicine %R 10.3736/jcim20080217 %P 190-193 %V 6 %N 2 %U {http://www.jcimjournal.com/CN/abstract/article_128.shtml} %8 2008-02-20 %X

Objective:To explore the effects of Liangxue Huayu therapy (LXHYT), a traditional Chinese herbal therapy for cooling blood and dissipating blood stasis, on rat model of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) and its impact on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Methods:Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group, untreated EAT group, cyclosporine A (CyA)-treated group, Tripterygium glycosides-treated group and Liangxue Huayu Recipe (LXHYR)-treated group. The interventions were given by gavage to the rats in different groups once a day. All rats were sacrificed after 4-week treatment, and the level of serum thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) and the changes of histological grade of thyroid specimen were assessed by blind evaluation. Expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assessed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method.

Results:There was a significant increase in the serum TgAb level and severe inflammatory infiltration in the untreated group. Expression of TNF-α mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was increased, while the expression of IL-10 mRNA was decreased in the untreated group (P<0.01). Compared with the untreated group, CyA, Tripterygium glycosides and LXHYF could decrease the serum TgAb level (P<0.05), but the three interventions showed no significant improvement in thyroid inflammation (P>0.05). TNF-α mRNA expression was decreased, while IL-10 mRNA expression was increased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.05).

Conclusion:LXHYT can decrease the serum TgAb level and recover the balance of Th1/Th2. This may provide an experimental basis for further research of assessing the antipsoriatic effect of Chinese herbal drugs with a rat model of EAT as an alternative model of psoriasis in vivo.