Effect Of YLN Capsule On M.tuberculosis H₃₇RV Infection In Animal Models

Objective In the study we evaluated the effect of YLN capsule , a kind of composite Chinese traditional medicine in animal models on tuberculosis for basic evidence before used clinically. Methods Guinea-pigs and ICR mice were randomly divided into several groups . The guinea-pigs and ICR mice were injected with Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis H37RV to establish tuberculosis model, and then to observe indexes including body weight, macroscopical visceral pathogenic degree, visceral weight index ( of spleen , lung and liver), quantitative viscus culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in guinea-pigs , time of postinfection death of ICR mice, time of fifty percent survival (ST50), survival rate of ICR mice , and levels of IFN-y and IL-10 in senim of ICR mice . Results (1) Body weight of groups with various doses of YLN (1.0/kg.d"',0.5 g/kg.d"',0.25 g/kg.d"1) was heavier than that of blank control group (p<0.05). In guinea-pig , the effect of YLN combined with INH was better than that of INH (p<0.05), and in ICR mice , the effect of high-dose YLN was similar to that of Mao Zhua Cao. (2)Macroscopical visceral pathogenic degree of all groups treated with YLN decreased obviously (p<0.05). (3) Except for the spleen and liver visceral weight indexes of low-dose YLN group, the indexes of all groups treated with YLN were obviously lower than that of blank control group (p<0.05). (4) The CFUs of all groups treated with drugs but low-dose YLN group were obviously lower than that of blank control group(p<0.05). (5) In ICR mice, ST50 of the groups respectively treated with YLN , especially high-dose YLN group, was obviously longer than that of blank control group. The ST50 of group treated with high-dose YLN was longer than that of the group treated with Mao Zhua Cao. Survival rate of the group treated with YLN combined with INH was higher than that of monotherapy groups. (6) Only the thymus weight index of high-dose YLN group increased . (7) Each dose YLN could increase the levels of IFN-y in serum (p<0.05), and mid-dose YLN could obviously decrease levels of IL-10 in serum (p<0.05). Conclusions YLN capsule had an anti-tuberculosis effect on M. tuberculosis H37RV infection in both guinea-pig and ICR mouse model . YLN could increase the weight of tuberculosis model , while decrease thepathogenic degree in the viscerals and CFUs in tuberculosis model , esp. the high dose and the mid-dose YLN. The high-dose YLN increased ICR mouse thymus weight index . Each dose YLN could increase the levels of IFN-y in serum, and the mid-dose YLN could obviously- decrease the levels of IL-10 in serum. We also found YLN had a synergetic effect with INK.