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Updated: May 1, 2026
A Traditional Chinese Medicine Characteristic Therapy for Bronchial Asthma: Moxibustion
Published on: May 12, 2023
Regulatory effects of stage-treatment with established Chinese herbal formulas on inflammatory mediators in pediatric
Insights
Traditional Chinese Medicine regulates inflammatory mediators in pediatric asthma. Chinese herbal formulas impacted leukotriene receptor gene expression and Th1/Th2 immune cell balance, offering a novel treatment approach.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Integrative Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Asthma attacks involve complex inflammatory responses, including mediators like interleukin-4 (IL-4) and leukotrienes.
- Th1/Th2 immune cell imbalance is a hallmark of allergic airway inflammation in asthma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the regulatory effects of traditional Chinese herbal formulas on inflammatory mediators during pediatric asthma attacks.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Traditional Chinese Medicine's efficacy in asthma treatment.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 75 children with asthma, comparing Chinese herbal formulas to Western medication.
- Real-time PCR and ELISA were used to measure mRNA and protein levels of key inflammatory mediators (IL-4, CysLTR1, IFN-gamma) and leukotriene (LTE)-4.
Main Results:
- Both treatment groups showed down-regulation of IL-4 and CysLTR1 mRNA, and up-regulation of IFN-gamma mRNA.
- Chinese herbal formulas significantly reduced IL-4 blood levels and increased IFN-gamma blood levels compared to Western medication.
- No significant difference in LTE-4 blood levels was observed between groups post-treatment.
Conclusions:
- Established Chinese herbal formulas demonstrate a regulatory effect on leukotriene receptor gene expression in pediatric asthma.
- Traditional Chinese Medicine can help correct the Th1/Th2 immune cell imbalance characteristic of asthma attacks in children.
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.
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