Impact of Qi-benefiting and Blood-activating Therapies on Serum Cytokines in Rats with Gastric Precancerous Lesions

Objective: To investigate the impact of Qi- benefiting and blood- activating therapies on serum cytokinesin rats with gastric precancerous lesions. Methods: Sixty- four SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group( n= 8) and model control group( n = 56) Gastric precancerous lesions were induced in rats by MNNG injury to the stomach. Ten model rats were randomly sacrificed for histopathological examination. The rest 46 model rats were divided into four groups: model group( n = 12),high dose Qi- benefitingand blood- activating group( n = 12),low dose Qi- benefiting and blood- activating group( n = 12) and Weifuchun group( n = 10). The corresponding drugs were intragastrically given for 12 weeks. The changes of serum cytokines were observed by ELISA and RIA. Results: Compared with the blank control group,the levels of TNF- α,IL- 6 and IL- 8 were reduced but the level of IL- 8 was reduced significantly( P 0. 01) in the model group. After Qi- benefiting and blood- activating and Weifuchun treatment,the degree of IL- 6was significantly decreased in all 3 groups as compared with that of the model control group( P 0. 01,P 0. 05). The degree of IL- 8 was significantly greater in Weifuchun group as compared with high dose Qi- benefiting and blood- activating group and low dose Qi- benefiting and blood- activating group( P 0. 05). Conclusion: Qi- benefiting and blood- activating therapies can improve histopathology in rats with gastric precancerous lesions. Regulation of serum TNF- α,IL- 6 and IL- 8 levels may be one of the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of Qi- benefiting and blood- activating against gastric precancerous lesions.