Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of herbal therapy for children with asthma.

Objectives: The purpose of this trial was to evaluate whether the herbal formula of CUF2 used as complementary therapy improves the clinical symptoms and biochemical markers in children with asthma using inhaled corticosteroids.

Patients And Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled prospective trial, 85 children with asthma aged 7-15 years were randomly assigned to receive either a daily oral herbal formula of 0.619-g CUF2 capsule of dried aqueous extract with an equal weight of five herbs (Astragalus mongholius Bunge, Cordyceps sinensis Sacc.

[Effects of budesonide, desloratadine and dexamethasone on interleukine-4 release and expression from human mast cell line].

Objective: Since human mast cell is an important source of cytokines, it is of importance to understand the effects of anti-allergic drugs on cytokines modulation in mast cells. In the present study, we aimed at observing whether IL-4 could be released from human mast cell line (HMC-1) after the stimulation of PMA + A23187, and the effects of systemic glucocorticosteroid, dexamethasone, topical glucocorticosteroid, budesonide and H1 antagonist, desloratadine on IL-4 release and mRNA expression.

Methods: HMC-1 was stimulated with 25 ng/ml phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and 2.

[Establishment of a modified intranasally ovalbumin induced animal model of allergic rhinitis].

Objective: To observe the early and late symptomatic, pathological and immunological changes in an intranasal ovalbumin-induced animal model of allergic rhinitis in guinea pigs.

Methods: Guinea pigs were intranasally sensitized with ovalbumin absorbed on aluminum hydroxide and after 5 days' interval, they were challenged with 1% ovalbumin solution once every 3 days for total 11 times. Two control groups were studied in parallel, the positive treatment control group was treated with antihistamine and the negative control group was sham-sensitized and sham-challenged.