The Effects of Aqueous Extracts on the Inflammation and Intestinal Microflora in Allergic Rhinitis Mice.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a type I allergic disease induced by IgE. Traditional Chinese medicine (Turcz.) Schischk (SD) has anti-inflammatory and antiallergic effects.

Materials And Methods: AR model mice were constructed with ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization to observe the improving effect of SD treatment on AR by counting the number of sneezing and rubbing the nose, hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and toluidine blue stains. In addition, the allergy and inflammatory cytokines levels and inflammatory cells were observed by ELISA and Wright's-Giemsa stain. The protein levels of the TLR4/TRAF6/NF-B and IL-6/ROR-t/STAT3 pathways were measured by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blot. The intestinal microflora abundance in mice was observed by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing.

Results: SD treatment inhibited the sneezing and rubbing times of the nose, decreased the degree of a dense arrangement of cells and mucosal swelling and the number of goblet and mast cells of nasal lavage fluid, reduced the levels of IgE, histamine, Leukotriene B4, IL-4, IL-5, TNF-, IL-6, and IL-17, the eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes number, the LR4, TRAF6, IL-6, ROR-t, and STAT3 mRNA levels, respectively, while, it increased the IL-2, IL-10, IFN-, and TGF-1 proteins. SD treatment inhibited the NF-B, p-STAT3, TLR4, TRAF6, and p-IB/IB proteins. Besides, the effects of OVA and SD treatments were significantly correlated with the abundance of intestinal microflora. The abundances of and were changed in SD treatment on AR mice.

Conclusions: This study provides a possibility that the improvement effect of SD treatment on allergies and inflammation in AR mice may be related to the TLR4/TRAF6/NF-B and IL-6/ROR-t/STAT3 pathways and intestinal microflora modulation.