Experimental Study On The Effect Of Yiqi Buxue Huoxue Recipe On Rat Model Of COPD Airway Remodeling

ObjectiveThis study used the method of cigarette smoke to instill lipopolysaccharide to the trachea to duplicate COPD rat model, intervened the model using the combination of Yupingfen Powder and Siwu Decoction and analyzed the pathological changes caused by intervention on the models and the differences of MMP-9、TIMP-1、TGF-β1 in BALF. The research aims to primarily investigate whether the method of enhancing Qi, tonifying blood and promoting blood circulation has an effect on the development process of COPD airway remodeling and to analyze its mechanism in order to further provide theoretical evidence for the prevention and treatment of COPD airway remodeling using this method. Methods:1. Duplicated COPD rat model: applied and modified the methods proposed by Song Yiping, established the COPD airway model by instilling lipopolysaccharide(200μg per treatment for two times) and cigarette smoke, The model takes 28 days.2. Intervention: 70 rats were randomized into the following 7 groups based on their weight: control group, model group, positive group, prevention group, high-dosage group, medium-dosage group and low-dosage group each one with 10 rats. The control group was given unrestrained food and water, administered normal saline(10ml/kg) by gavage,the model group was administered normal saline(10ml/kg)by gavage, Roxithromycin Capsules group was administered Roxithromycin Capsules(27mg/kg) by gavage,Yupingfen Powder and Siwu Decoction the prevention group was given 4.5g/kg per day by gavage, Starting from the model establishment day 1, a total of 58 days.the three groups administered Yupingfen Powder and Siwu Decoction were given a daily dosage of 18g/kg、9g/kg、4.5g/kg respectively by gavage, In addition to the prevention group, the rest of the group began 29 days intragastric administration for 30 days.3. Index detection: the pathological slices of the lung tissues were made and the pathological changes of goblet cells as well as mean lung internal lining interval(MLI) were observed using HE and VG staining; the content of MMP-9、TIMP-1、TGF-β1 in BALF of the rats were detected using ELISA. Results:1. During the process of replication of COPD rat model, symptoms such as varying degrees of sneeze, nodding respiration, reduced diet and weight, listlessness and curly hair were observed in intervention groups as opposed to the control group.2. The airway pathologic changes of intervention groups and control group were rated based on the eight small airway pathologic changes scale, and analyzed using statistical methods which demonstrated that the differences were statistically significant at the level of P<0.05.3. Compared with the control group, the number of goblet cells, mean lung internal lining interval(MLI) as well as the level of concentration of MMP-9、TIMP-1 、 TGF-β1 in BALF of the pathological slices from high-dosage, medium-dosage and low-dosage groups showed statistical difference at P<0.05. Conclusions:1. Guided by TCM theory, the combination of Yupingfen Powder and Siwu Decoction might delay the occurrence and development process of COPD airway modeling by inhibiting abnormal increase in the number of inflammatory cells, improving pulmonary emphysema and down regulating the strong expression of relevant cytokines.2. The combination of Yupingfen Powder and Siwu Decoction might have positive effect on COPD airway modeling, among the experimental groups, the Yupingfen Powder and Siwu Decoction high-dosage and prevention groups had the most obvious effects, indicating the method of enhancing Qi, tonifying blood and promoting blood circulation as one of the most important treatments of COPD.