The Effect of Tongkyu-tang on the Ovalbumin-inhalation Rat Model with Allergic Rhinitis

통규탕(通竅湯)이 알레르기 비염 모델 횐 쥐에 미치는 영향

Background and Objectives: Allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction characterized by sneezingm itchy nose, mouth and throat, congestion and/or nasal discharge. The offending allergenes are usually pollens, molds, dust mites and animal allergen. Recently, the incidence of infectious nasal diseases tend to decrease. However, allergic rhinitis has increased and treatment in most cases has only deat with the symptom. Tongkyu-tang was composed of sixteen crude drugs. The Oriental Medical References mention therapeutic effects of Tongkyu-tang on nasal obstruction, watery nasal discharg. And Tongkyu-tang has clinically been used for the treatment of common cold, headache, sternutation, rhinitis etc. Speacially Tongkyu-tang is one of the most frequently used medical treatment for the allergic rhinitis. Experimental studies were conducted to investigate for the effect of Tongkyu-tang on the changes of neutrophil segment, lymphocyte, total IgE and nassal tissue in allergic rhinitis of ovalbumin-inhalation rat. Meterial and Methods: Fifteen Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three group: normal group, control group, experimental group. To induce the allergic rhinitis in control group and experimental group, rats were sentitized intraperitoneally with 0.1 % ovalbumin solution 3 times at intervals of I week. Then intranasal sensitization was performed by diffusing 0.1 % ovalbumin solution 3 times at intervals of 2 days. After that time, rat in the experimental group were oral administration treated by Tongkyu-tang for 28 days. We observed changes in nasal tissue; changes in the number of white blood cell, red blood cell and total Ig E; also changes in the segment of neutrophil and lymphocyte in blood. And we observed the changes of AST, ALT of three group. We used anova test statistically. Result: The number of leucocyte remained unchanged between three group. The number of erythrocyte was increased in experimental group and control group when compared with the normal group. The segment of neutrophil, in blood was decreased in experimental group when compared with the control group but, that was not significant statistically(p<0.05). The promotion of lymphocyte in blood was significantly decreased in experimental group when compared with the Control group(p<0.05). Total IgE was decreased in experimental group when compared with the control group but, that was not significant statistically(p<0.05). The cilium be well preserved in experimental group: the nasal tissue in experimental group was similar to in the normal group. Congestion and expantion of grandular cell in nasal submucosa, hypertropy of epithelium in nasal mucosa, acid mucus in epithelium and neutral mucus in subepithelium were decreased in experimental group when compared with the control group. Effect of Tongkyu-tang on the liver function were also studies in rats. Treatment of Tongkyu-lang did not affected on AST and ALT. Conclusion: Considering the above experimental results, it is suggested that oral administration treatment using Tongkyu-lang, without worry about liver function injury, decreased response on an Animal model with Allergic Rhinitis.