The stimulatory effects of nasal discharge from patients with perennial allergic rhinitis on normal human neutrophils are normalized after treatment with a new mixed formula of Chinese herbs.

In our previous study, we found a new mixed formula of Chinese herbs containing Shin-yi-san + Xiao-qing-long-tang + Xiang-sha-liu-jun-zi-tang (9 + 3 + 3 g divided in three doses/day) was beneficial to the patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (AR) via complicated immunomodulatory effects on both mononuclear cells (MNC) and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). In the present study, we further determined the effects of nasal fluid from AR patients on the functions of human PMN before and after treatment with the mixed formula. We found the nasal discharge, but not serum, from AR group with high serum IgE (H-IgE, serum IgE >200 KIU/l) before treatment exerted many stimulating effects on normal PMN including delayed apoptosis, enhanced production of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), increased phagocytosis, and augmented cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA expression of PMN. However, these stimulating effects of nasal fluid on PMN were not found in low IgE group (L-IgE, serum IgE <200 KIU/l). These PMN-enhancing effects of H-IgE nasal fluid were abolished after 3-month treatment with the mixed Chinese herb formula. In conclusion, our results suggest that the new mixed herb formula treatment suppressed nasal mucosa inflammation by normalizing stimulatory effects of allergic nasal discharge of patients with H-IgE allergic rhinitis.