Effect of the pre-crosslinking of Ba2+ ions on wet spinning of agar fibers.

Decreased coagulation bath concentration and difficult recovery are classical issues observed during the wet spinning of fibers. In this paper, a novel method was presented for preparing environment-friendly agar fibers using deionized water as the coagulation and stretch baths. The addition of Ba2+ into the spinning solution increased the crosslinking time and improved the performance of spinning solution. The results showed that the introduction of Ba2+ in the spinning solution increased the viscosity of the spinning solution. Particularly, when the concentration of BaCl2 in the spinning solution was 7 wt%, the viscosity increased to 39.29 Pa·s, which made the molecular chain arrangement of agar more compact and ordered and promoted the gelation transformation of the spinning solution, resulting in an increase in the gel temperature from 0.2 °C (Ba-0/agar) to 5.4 °C (Ba-7/agar). The spinning solution was more conducive to the formation of fibers in deionized water. In addition, the physical and chemical properties of agar fibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the use of deionized water as the coagulation bath can improve the color of fiber and solve the problem of fiber adhesion, whereas the mechanical strength of agar fibers with pre-cross-linking metal ions was also improved. For example, the breaking strength of Ba-7/agar/DIW was 0.73 cN/dtex while the breaking strength of Ba-0/agar/DIW was only 0.62 cN/dtex.

Fabrication and Characterization of Carrageenan/ZnO/Chitosan Composite Films.

In this study, a high-performance carrageenan/ZnO/chitosan composite film (FCA/ZnO/CS) was fabricated by the solution/dispersion casting method and layer-by-layer method. The first layer was nano-ZnO dispersed in carrageenan solution, and the second layer was chitosan dissolved in acetic acid. The morphology, chemical structure, surface wettability, barrier properties, mechanical properties, optical properties, and antibacterial activity of FCA/ZnO/CS were evaluated compared with a carrageenan film (FCA) and carrageenan/ZnO composite film (FCA/ZnO). This study revealed that the Zn element in FCA/ZnO/CS existed in the form of Zn2+ in FCA/ZnO/CS. There existed electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding between CA and CS. As a result, the mechanical strength and transparency of FCA/ZnO/CS were enhanced and the water vapor transmittance of FCA/ZnO/CS was decreased compared with that of FCA/ZnO. Furthermore, the addition of ZnO and CS greatly enhanced the antibacterial activity of Escherichia coli and also had a certain inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus. FCA/ZnO/CS is expected to be a potential candidate material for food packaging, wound dressings, and various surface antimicrobial coatings.

The Impact of Government-Led Farmland Construction on Market-Oriented Farmland Transfer-Evidence from Shandong, China.

This study explored the impact of government-led high-standard farmland construction (HSFC) on market-oriented farmland transfer using a unified analysis framework of HSFC and farmland transfers. We used a binary probit model based on 660 questionnaires from five counties in Shandong Province, China to empirically analyze this impact. The results show that HSFC can significantly promote farmland lease-in while inhibiting lease-out. We found that farmland fragmentation plays a significant role in moderating this impact, which is illustrated by the fact that improved farmland fragmentation does not promote HSFC in the context of farmland lease-in. Furthermore, it can effectively alleviate the inhibitory effect of HSFC on farmland lease-out. The impact of HSFC on farmland transfer has significant labor transfer heterogeneity. For households with a low degree of labor transfer, HSFC can significantly promote farmland lease-in and inhibit lease-out, while for households with a high degree of labor transfer, the above effect is not significant.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes containing miR-539-5p inhibit pyroptosis through NLRP3/caspase-1 signalling to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Exosomes derived from bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are potential candidates for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment. The present study investigated the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of BMSCs-derived exosomes on pyroptosis in IBD. METHODS: We induced IBD in mice and cell models through dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and LPS, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression levels were assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, IF and IHC. The concentrations of IL-1ß, IL-18 and TNFα were assessed using ELISA. ROS levels were determined using DCFH-DA staining. Cell proliferation of mIECs was analysed using an MTT assay. In addition, a flow cytometry assay was performed to detect pyroptosis. Finally, the binding relationship between miR-539-5p and NLRP3 was verified by a dual luciferase reporter gene assay. RESULTS: Our results revealed that intraperitoneal injection of BMSCs-derived exosomes inhibited DSS-induced pyroptosis as well as IBD symptoms in mice. In addition, BMSCs-derived exosome treatment suppressed pyroptosis, ROS levels and the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-18 and TNFα) in LPS-treated mIECs in a miR-539-5p-dependent manner. Further research found that miR-539-5p suppressed NLRP3 expression in mIECs by directly targeting NLRP3. As expected, pyroptosis in LPS-treated mIECs was significantly reduced by NLRP3 knockdown. In addition, NLRP3 silencing restored the inhibitory effect of exosomes derived from BMSCs transfected with miR-539-5p inhibitor on pyroptosis in LPS-treated mIECs. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-539-5p suppresses pyroptosis through NLRP3/caspase-1 signalling to inhibit IBD progression.

A Network Pharmacological Approach to Explore the Mechanisms of TongXieYaoFang in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the intestine, demonstrating an increasing incidence every year. TongXieYaoFang (TXYF) has been used widely in China as a complementary therapy to relieve the symptoms of IBD for hundreds of years. In the present research, a network pharmacology-based approach was used to systematically explore the intrinsic mechanisms of TXYF in IBD at the molecular level. Network pharmacology-based methods, which mainly included database mining, screening of bioactive compounds, target prediction, collection of IBD-related targets, gene enrichment analysis, network construction, and molecular docking, were employed in the present study. Network analysis revealed a total of 108 potential targets derived from 22 component compounds of TXYF, among which 34 targets were common with the IBD-related targets. In the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, 10 key targets were identified. The gene enrichment analysis suggested that anti-inflammatory processes, such as NF-kappa B signaling pathway and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, could be the core processes involved in the action of TXYF in IBD. Molecular docking results revealed that three compounds present in TXYF exhibited strong binding affinity for PTGS2. The present study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms and network approaches of TXYF action in IBD from a systemic perspective. The potential targets and pathways identified in the present study would assist in further research on the clinical application of TXYF in IBD therapy.

Does High-Speed Rail Opening Affect the Health Care Environment?-Evidence From China.

Using the panel data of 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2004 to 2014, this paper examines the effects of high-speed rail opening on health care environment based on Difference-in-Differences method (DID). Through an empirical analysis, the results proved that high-speed rail opening can significantly promote the health care environment and this effect is different in regions with different levels of economic development. Finally, we tested the mechanisms of how the high-speed rail opening affects the healthcare environment. High-speed rail opening improves the healthcare environment by increasing road accessibility and promoting economic development. Our results support the view that high-speed rail opening has an important contribution to the improvement of health care conditions.

MiR-223 promotes pyroptosis of enteritis cells through activating NF-κB signalling pathway by targeting SNIP1 in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common inflammation-related intestinal disease. Studies have shown that excessive pyroptosis of intestinal cells is involved in the development of IBD. However, the regulatory mechanism of pyroptosis in IBD remains unclear. Here, our study purposed to clarify the underlying regulatory mechanism of miR-223 to promote pyroptosis in IBD.MiR-223 and Smad Nuclear Interacting Protein 1 (SNIP1) expression in colon tissues collected from IBD patients and healthy volunteers were evaluated using qRT-PCR. Cell viability and pyroptosis were evaluated by CCK8 and flow cytometry assay, respectively. Pyroptosis-related proteins and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signals were determined by WB. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was employed to investigate the binding relationship between miR-223 and SNIP1.MiR-223 was significantly upregulated in IBD colon tissues and cell models, while SNIP1 was significantly decreased. Silence of miR-223 markedly enhanced cell viability and inhibited pyroptosis in the IBD cell model. MiR-223 could bind to 3'-UTR of SNIP1 and SNIP1 could activate NF-κB signalling pathway. Further rescued experiment found that knockdown of SNIP1 dramatically abolished the bio-effects mediated by miR-223 silence on the cell viability and pyroptosis of the IBD cell model. Likewise, the inactivation of NF-κB signalling markedly weakened the regulatory roles of SNIP1 downregulation in the IBD cell model. Besides, inhibition of NF-κB signalling attenuated the pyroptosis-promoting effect of overexpressing miR-223.Our data suggested that miR-223 activated the NF-κB pathway via targeting SNIP1, thus promoting the process of cell pyroptosis, and ultimately participating in the pathogenesis of IBD.

Astragaloside II alleviates the symptoms of experimental ulcerative colitis in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory intestinal disease, and its morbidity is rising worldwide. Previous study indicated that astragaloside II (AS II), a monomeric compound, was used to treat bowel disease. However, the effects of AS II on UC remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of AS II on experimental UC in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: CCD-18Co cells were stimulated by 1 µg/mL LPS to mimic UC in vitro. In addition, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mouse model was established in vivo. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, the concentrations of inflammatory factors interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in CCD-18Co cells and colon tissues were determined by ELISA, respectively. Meanwhile, the expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-α), phospho-inhibitor of NF-κB (p-IκB) and phospho-NF-κB p65 (p-p65) were detected by western blotting in vitro and in vivo, respectively. RESULTS: In this study, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 were significantly increased in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated CCD-18Co cells. However, LPS-induced inflammatory response was markedly alleviated by AS II. In addition, LPS-induced HIF-α, p-IκB and p-p65 proteins increases were markedly ameliorated by AS II treatment. Moreover, AS II reduced disease activity index (DAI) scores and increased the colon lengths in DSS-treated mice. Meanwhile, AS II decreased the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, NO, MPO and MDA, and increased the level of SOD in colon of DSS-treated mice. Furthermore, AS II downregulated the expressions of HIF-α, p-IκB and p-p65 in DSS-induced UC in mice. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that AS II could alleviate inflammatory response in LPS-induced CCD-18Co cells and in DSS-induced UC in mice. In conclusion, AS II may serve as a potential agent for the treatment of UC.

MicroRNA-362 Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Directly Targeting SIX1 in Colorectal Cancer.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in China and poses high morbidity and mortality. In recent years, increasing evidence has indicated that microRNAs played important functions in the occurrence and development of tumors. The purpose of this study was to identify the biological mechanisms of miR-362 in CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR was carried out to assess the expression of miR-362 and SIX1. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to evaluate the 5-year overall survival of CRC patients. The proliferative and invasive abilities of CRC cells were assessed by MTT and transwell assays. RESULTS: miR-362 was significantly decreased in CRC tissues and cell lines, compared to the normal tissues and normal cells. A significant connection was confirmed between the overall survival of 53 CRC patients and low expression of miR-362. Downregulation of miR-362 inhibited the proliferation and invasion through binding to the 3'-UTR of SIX1 mRNA in CRC. Additionally, we discovered that SIX1 was a direct target gene of miR-362 and that the expression of miR-362 had a negative connection with SIX1 expression in CRC. SIX1 could reverse partial functions in the proliferation and invasion in CRC cells. CONCLUSION: miR-362 may be a prognostic marker in CRC and suppress CRC cell proliferation and invasion in part through targeting the 3'-UTR of SIX1 mRNA. The newly identified miR-362/SIX1 axis provides insight into the progression of CRC.

Curcumin and resveratrol suppress dextran sulfate sodium­induced colitis in mice.

Curcumin and resveratrol are two natural products, which have been described as potential anti­inflammatory, anti­tumor, and anti­oxidant molecules. The aims of the present study were to investigate the protective effect of curcumin and resveratrol on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)­induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice, in addition to understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms. In order to accomplish this, BALB/c mice received drinking water containing 3.5% DSS. Curcumin (50 mg/kg/day) or resveratrol (80 mg/kg/day) were administered orally for 7 days. Survival rate, body weight, disease activity index score, colon length, pro­inflammatory cytokines, and the expression autophagy­associated proteins, and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were measured. Curcumin or resveratrol treatment prolonged the survival of mice with UC, reduced body weight loss and attenuated the severity of the disease compared with the DSS­treated mice. This effect was associated with a substantial clinical amelioration of the disruption of the colonic architecture and a significant reduction in pro­inflammatory cytokine production. Furthermore, curcumin or resveratrol significantly downregulated the expression of autophagy­related 12, Beclin­1 and microtubule­associated protein light chain 3 II, and upregulated the expression of phosphorylated mTOR and SIRT1 in the colon tissue, compared with those in the DSS­treated group. These results suggest that curcumin and resveratrol exert protective effects on DSS­induced UC, partially through suppressing the intestinal inflammatory cascade reaction, reducing autophagy and regulating SIRT1/mTOR signaling.

Long noncoding RNA ANRIL contributes to the development of ulcerative colitis by miR-323b-5p/TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role and possible mechanism of long noncoding RNA ANRIL in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). The expression of ANRIL in colonic mucosa tissues collected from the sigmoid colon of UC patients and healthy control was determined. Subsequently, fetal human cells (FHCs) were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to stimulate UC-caused inflammatory injury, followed by detection of the effects of suppression of ANRIL on cell viability, apoptosis and cytokines production in LPS-stimulated FHCs. Moreover, the regulatory relationship between ANRIL and miR-323b-5p as well as the target relationship between miR-323b-5p and TLR4 were investigated. Furthermore, the effects of ANRIL/miR-323b-5p axis on the activation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in LPS-stimulated FHCs were investigated. LncRNA ANRIL was highly expressed in colonic mucosa tissues of UC patients. In addition, LPS markedly induced cell injury in FHC cells (inhibited cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis and cytokine production). Suppression of ANRIL alleviated LPS-induced injury in FHC cells, which was achieved by negatively regulating miR-323b-5p. Moreover, miR-323b-5p negatively regulated TLR4 expression and TLR4 was a target of miR-323b-5p. Knockdown of TLR4 reversed the effects of miR-323b-5p suppression on LPS-induced injury in LPS-stimulated FHCs. Furthermore, the effects of ANRIL on LPS-induced cell injury were achieved by TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. Our data indicate that suppression of ANRIL may inhibit the development of UC by regulating miR-323b-5p/TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. ANRIL/miR-323b-5p/TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway may provide a new strategy for UC therapy.

Safety and therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cell infusion on moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.

One of the primary targets of the clinical treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) is to repair the damaged colonic mucosa. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine due to their differentiation capacity and their secretion of numerous bioactive molecules. The present study describes a clinical trial (trial registration no. NCT01221428) investigating the safety and therapeutic effect of MSCs derived from human umbilical cord on moderate to severe UC. Thirty-four patients with UC were included in group I and treated with MSC infusion in addition to the base treatment, and thirty-six patients were in group II and treated with normal saline in addition to the base treatment. One month after therapy, 30/36 patients in group I showed good response, and diffuse and deep ulcer formation and severe inflammatory mucosa were improved markedly. During the follow up, the median Mayo score and histology score in group I were decreased while IBDQ scores were significantly improved compared with before treatment and group II (P<0.05). Compared with group II, there were no evident adverse reactions after MSC infusion in any of the patients in group I, and no chronic side effects or lingering effects appeared during the follow-up period. In conclusion, MSC infusion might be a useful and safe therapy for treating UC.

Quality assessment of clinical research on liver cancer treated by intra-arterial infusion of Chinese medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the methodological quality of clinical research on Chinese medicine (CM) applied by intra-arterial infusion in treating primary liver cancer (PLC). METHODS: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, and three Chinese databases, including Chinese BioMedical Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and China Academic Journal (VIP) were searched. Chinese articles were also searched manually in 16 journals. Two reviewers independently selected studies, the quality of literatures were assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration method of quality assessment. RESULTS: A total of 14 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Only three of these articles described the randomization method used. None of the studies was blinded. All of the articles didn't report the calculation of the sample size. Only six studies mentioned adverse reactions. All of the studies were of grade C according to the Cochrane Collaboration method. Six studies reported results of survival, and only two of these reported better efficacy in the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of studies concerned intra-arterial infusion of CM in treating with PLC was poor and the exact effect of these medicines still need evaluation. Well designed RCTs with large sample sizes, adequate follow-up data and reliable methods of assessment are needed to better appraise the real effect of CMs in the treatment of PLC patients.

[A comparative study of inflammatory factor expression of phlegm-heat syndrome and phlegm-dampness syndrome model with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To reveal characteristic of phlegm-heat syndrome and phlegm-dampness syndrome of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) from expression of inflammatory factor. METHODS: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (each n=12): normal control group, AECOPD group, phlegm-heat syndrome of AECOPD group (PHs group) and phlegm-dampness syndrome of AECOPD group (PDs group). The expressions of interleukins (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) proteins in lung tissue were detected by immunohistochemical staining method. IL-1ß mRNA and IL-10 mRNA expressions were measured by reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expressions of inflammatory factors in lung tissue in AECOPD group, PHs group and PDs group were remarkably enhanced compared with those in normal control group. Compared with AECOPD group, the protein expressions of IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-6 and the mRNA expression of IL-1ß in lung tissue in PHs group and PDs group were markedly enhanced (IL-1ß protein: 6.26 ± 2.43, 8.20 ± 2.61 vs. 4.30 ± 2.38, TNF-α protein: 10.28 ± 2.64, 10.67 ± 2.68 vs. 7.47 ± 2.90, IL-6 protein: 8.13 ± 3.03, 10.45 ± 3.37 vs. 5.66 ± 3.18, IL-1ß mRNA: 0.41 ± 0.03, 0.48 ± 0.05 vs. 0.35 ± 0.04, all P<0.01), and the expressions of IL-10 protein and IL-10 mRNA were obviously weakened (IL-10 protein: 7.00 ± 1.89, 4.70 ± 2.31 vs. 9.33 ± 2.58, IL-10 mRNA: 0.43 ± 0.05, 0.35 ± 0.03 vs. 0.52 ± 0.06, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The protein expressions of IL-1ß and IL-6 proteins and the mRNA expression of IL-1ß in PDs group were significantly higher than those in PHs group, while the expressions of IL-10 protein and IL-10 mRNA were evidently lowered (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There were more strong expressions of IL-1ß and IL-6 and more weaken expressions of IL-10 in phlegm-dampness syndrome than in phlegm-heat syndrome, which may be one of the main reason of serious damage in lung tissue and delayed recovery of the patient with phlegm-dampness syndrome of AECOPD. All the above findings need further investigation.

Health-related quality of life evaluated by tumor node metastasis staging system in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate and evaluate the change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging system in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A total of 140 patients diagnosed with HCC between June 2008 and April 2009 in our department were enrolled to this study. One hundred and thirty-five (96.5%) patients had liver cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, 73 (54.07%) of them being HBV DNA positive; the other etiologies of liver cirrhosis were alcoholic liver disease (1.4%), hepatitis C (1.4%) or cryptogenic (0.7%). All subjects were fully aware of their diagnosis and provided informed consent. HRQoL was assessed before treatment using the functional assessment of cancer therapy-hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate demographics and disease-specific characteristics of the patients. One-way analysis of variance and independent samples t tests were used to compare the overall FACT-Hep scores and clinically distinct TNM stages. Scores for all FACT-Hep items were analyzed by frequency analyses. The mean scores obtained from the FACT-Hep in different Child-Pugh classes were also evaluated. RESULTS: The mean FACT-Hep scores were reduced significantly from TNM Stage I to Stage II, Stage IIIA, Stage IIIB group (687 ± 39.69 vs 547 ± 42.57 vs 387 ± 51.24 vs 177 ± 71.44, P = 0.001). Regarding the physical and emotional well-being subscales, scores decreased gradually from Stage I to Stage IIIB (P = 0.002 vs Stage I; P = 0.032 vs Stage II; P = 0.033 vs Stage IIIA). Mean FACT-Hep scores varied by Child-Pugh class, especially in the subscales of physical well-being, functional well-being and the hepatobiliary cancer (P = 0.001 vs Stage I; P = 0.036 vs Stage II; P = 0.032 vs Stage IIIA). For the social and family well-being subscale, only Stage IIIB scores were significantly lower as compared with Stage I scores (P = 0.035). For the subscales of functional well-being and hepatobiliary cancer, there were significant differences for Stages IIΙ, IIIA and IIIB (P = 0.002 vs Stage I). CONCLUSION: HRQoL of patients with HCC worsens gradually with progression of TNM stages. The most impaired subscales of HRQoL, as measured by FACT-Hep, were physical and emotional well-being.

Application of traditional Chinese medicine injection in treatment of primary liver cancer: a review.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application of Traditional Chinese Medicine Injections (TCMIs) for treatment of primary liver cancer (PLC). METHODS: A literature review was conducted using PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library Controlled Clinical Trials Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Scientific Journal Database (CSJD) and China Biology Medicine (CBM). Online websites including journal websites and databases of ongoing trials, as well as some Traditional Chinese Medicine journals that are not indexed in the electronic databases were also searched. as adjunctive medication for the treatment of PLC could regulate patient immunity, reduce bone marrow suppression, relieve clinical symptoms, and improve quality of life, as well as control disease progression and prolong survival time. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this review, we conclude that application of TCMIs as adjunctive medication may provide benefits for patients with PLC. Further large, high-quality trials are warranted.

[A comparative study of biological indicators of phlegm-heat syndrome and phlegm-dampness syndrome model with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To compare phlegm-heat syndrome with phlegm-dampness syndrome of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in regard to inflammatory response, hormone level, lung pathological examination and lung function. METHODS: Fifty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, including normal control group, AECOPD group, phlegm-heat syndrome of AECOPD group (PHs group), phlegm-dampness syndrome of AECOPD group (PDs group). The level of white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil ratio, free triiodothyronine (FT(3)), free thyroxine (FT(4)), epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), cortisol (COR), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-8 (IL-8) in blood, and TNF-alpha, IL-8, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined with radioimmunology. Lung function was tested by whole-body plethysmography. RESULTS: (1)The count of WBC and neutrophil ratio in PDs group were higher than in PHs group, AECOPD group and normal group, there was significant difference in multiple comparison. The levels of inflammatory mediators in serum and BALF in three model groups were evidently higher than in normal group, and IL-8 [(4.13+/-1.28) microg/L] and CRP [(3.07+/-0.69) microg/L ] in serum in PDs group were higher than those in PHs group [(1.75+/-0.53) microg/L, (1.98+/-0.42) microg/L, both P<0.01]. (2)FT(3) level in blood in both AECOPD group and PHs group [(9.44+/-3.17) pmol/L , (9.95+/-3.68) pmol/L] was significantly higher than that in normal control group [(4.53+/-2.80) pmol/L], FT(3) in PDs group [(2.13+/-1.31) pmol/L] was evidently lower than that in normal group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The level of FT(4) [(2.23+/-0.71) pmol/L], E [(87.27+/-29.32) nmol/L] and NE [(71.69+/-21.24) nmol/L] in PDs group were all obviously lower than those in normal group [FT(4): (4.64+/-1.49) pmol/L, E: (143.94+/-32.90) nmol/L, NE: (100.32+/-27.73) nmol/L, P<0.05 or P<0.01]. There was no significant difference in the above three parameters between AECOPD group and normal group. Each parameter in PHs group was markedly higher than that in AECOPD group. The content of COR in PDs group was higher than in PHs group, in which COR was higher than in AECOPD group, which was equal to that in normal group. (3)The pathological changes in lung included inflammatory cell infiltration , exfoliation of cilia, dilatation of alveolar spaces of lung tissue in AECOPD group, which were more significant in PHs group and PD group. Inflammatory cells infiltration around the bronchi, thickening of interalveolar spaces, and vasodilatation were more pronounced in PHs group and PDs group than in AECOPD group. Inflammatory cell infiltration around the bronchi were about the same between PHs and PDs groups. (4)The levels of peak expiratory velocity (PEV), tidal volume (V(T)), minute ventilation (MV) were significantly lower in AECOPD group, PHs group and PDs group than in normal control group, but the levels of frequency (f) and inspiratory resistance (Rin) were evidently higher. Compared with AECOPD group, the levels of PEV, V(T), MV were significantly decreased, the level of respiratory f and Rin evidently increased in PDs group. Compared with PHs group, the levels of PEV, V(T), MV significantly decreased in PDs group, while the level of f and Rin evidently increased. There was no significant difference in the above five parameters between AECOPD group and PHs group. CONCLUSION: The changes in local and systemic inflammatory response, lung histopathological injury in PHs group and PDs group were more evident than changes in AECOPD group. The changes in systemic inflammatory response, decrease in functional indicators of thyroid and adrenal medulla, and decline in lung function were more marked in PDs group than in PHs group.