RESUMO
Objective:To observe the effect of Shaoyaotang on the contents of cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and transforming growth factor-<italic>β</italic><sub>1</sub> (TGF-<italic>β</italic><sub>1</sub>) in serum of large intestine damp-heat syndrome of ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats, and the gene and protein expressions of leukocyte differentiation antigen14 (CD14), Fas-related death domain protein (FADD) and cysteinyl aspartate specific protease-8 (Caspase-8) in the focal colon tissue. Method:A total of 80 SPF Wistar rats were randomly divided into the blank group (<italic>n</italic>=10) and modeling group (<italic>n</italic>=70). The large intestine damp-heat syndrome of UC rats was replicated by the combination of disease and syndrome, which was high-fat, high-sugar and spicy diets combined with 2, 4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) and ethanol. After successful modeling, the modeled groups were divided into model group, sulfasalazine (SASP)control group, and low, medium and high-dose Shaoyaotang groups by the method of random number table, with14 rats in each group. Low, medium and high doses of Sulfasalazine 0.2 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>·d<sup>-1</sup> and Shaoyaotang (6, 12, 24 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>·d<sup>-1</sup>)were given by gavage. The blank group and the model group were given equal volume of normal saline for 21 days. The contents of serum ICAM-1 and TGF-<italic>β</italic><sub>1</sub> were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the expressions of CD14, FADD and Caspase-8 mRNA in colon tissues were detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), and the expressions of CD14, FADD and Caspase-8 protein in colon tissues were detected by Western blot. Result:Compared with the blank group, the serum ICAM-1 level in the model group were significantly increased, whereas the content of TGF-<italic>β</italic><sub>1</sub> were significantly decreased (<italic>P</italic><0.05). The relative expression levels of CD14, FADD, Caspase-8 mRNA and protein were significantly increased (<italic>P</italic><0.05). Compared with the model group, the content of ICAM-1 in the serum of the rats in the medium, high-dose Shaoyaotang groups and the SASP group were significantly decreased, while the content of TGF-<italic>β</italic><sub>1</sub> in the serum of the rats in the low, medium, high-dose Shaoyaotang groups and the SASP group were significantly increased (<italic>P</italic><0.05). The expression levels of CD14, FADD, Caspase-8 mRNA and protein in each intervention group were significantly decreased (<italic>P</italic><0.05), especially in the high-dose Shaoyaotang group and the SASP group. Conclusion:Shaoyaotang has a certain intervention effect on UC rats with large intestine damp-heat syndrome, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of CD14, FADD and Caspase-8 genes and proteins expression.