• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.123-132
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• 2008

Objective: In this study, the author tried to investigate whether revised Seonbangpaedok-tang (SPT) and Sigyeongcheongpye-tang (SCT) significantly effects both PMA-induced mucin production and MUC5AC gene expression from airway epithelial cells. Objective: In this study, the author tried to investigate whether revised Seonbangpaedok-tang (SPT) and Sigyeongcheongpye-tang (SCT) significantly affects both PMA-induced mucin production and MUC5AC gene expression from airway epithelial cells. Materials and Methods: Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated for 30 min in the presence of SPT and SCT and treated with PMA (10 ng/$m{\ell}$), to assess the effects of the agents on PMA-induced mucin production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Also, the effects of the agents on PMA-induced MUC5AC gene expression from the same cells were investigated. Possible cytotoxicities of the agent were assessed by measuring the rate of survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells after treatment of agents during 48 hrs. Results: (1) SPT and SCT did not show significant cytotoxicity to NCI-H292 cells; (2) SPT significantly inhibitedthe expression levels of PMA-induced MUC5AC gene in NCI-H292 cells. SCT slightly decreased the expression levels of PMA-induced MUC5AC gene; (3) SPT significantly decreased PMA-induced mucin production from NCI-H292 cells. However, SCT did not affect mucin production. Conclusion: Theseresults suggest that SPT can not only affect the production of mucin but also the expression of the mucin gene and this explains the traditional use of SPT in oriental medicine. The effects of SPT and SCT with their components should be further investigated using animal experimental models that reflect pathophysiology of airway diseases via ongoing studies.