| Summary: | 碩士 === 長庚大學 === 中醫學系傳統中醫學 === 98 === Gentiana scabra Bge. is a Chinese herb that is prescribed as an anti-inflammatory aid, a hepato-protectant, and an immunostimulant. In this study, we examined the biological effects of butanol extract of Gentiana scabra Bge (BG). administration in MRL/lpr mice. MRL/lpr mice develop immunological disturbances and deregulated production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and are a good model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Female MRL/lpr mice were randomly separated into two groups. The experimental group received BG (250 mg/kg/day, po) from 19 to 21 weeks of age. At 21 weeks of age, the animals were euthanized and kidneys and spleens were removed for evaluation. Splenic CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, and CD4+CD25+ T cells were increased in the BG-administered mice compared to MRL/lpr controls, and this was associated with splenomegaly. There was a marked reduction in IFN-g, TNF-a, anti-dsDNA, and there were reduced IgG immune complex deposits in the glomeruli. BG also restored kidney glutathione levels, thereby limiting the toxic effects of the inflammatory mediator iNOS protein and, TNF-alpha mRNA which are overproduced in MRL/lpr mice. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to analyze proteome changes. BG protected MRL/lpr mice against developing the lupus syndrome through up-regulation of alpha-enolase, which were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. This study indicates that BG at this dose and time course of administration was effective in reducing oxidative stress associated with disease progression in MRL/lpr mice. BG could be useful as adjunctive therapy for reducing distress in SLE. Further research will be necessary to determine the clinical relevance of these findings.
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