To observe the therapeutic effect of composite Xinyi aerosol

XYA) in treating asthma and its influence on asthma related cytokines in serum and sputum of patients with mild or moderate bronchial asthma. Sixty patients were divided randomly into the treated group and the control group

30 in each group. They were treated with XYA and Salbutamol aerosol (SA) respectively by spray inhalation once a day for seven days as one therapeutic course to observe the antiasthmatic effect of the treatment. Changes of lung function and the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)

interleukine-2 receptor (IL-2R) and interleukine-8 (IL-8) in serum and sputum were observed before and after treatment using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of TNF-α

IL-2R andIL-8 in the sputum of part of the patients in the treatment group were also observed. In the treated group

6 patients had the asthma clinically controlled after treatment

12 were markedly alleviated

9 alleviated and 3 remained unchanged

while in the control group

the respective numbers were 4

6

15 and 5. The controlled-markedly effective rate of XYA was 60. 0%

which was significantly better than that of SA (33. 3%

P<0.05). The one second forced expiratory volume percent (FEV1%) and peek expiratory flow rate (PEFR) improved significantly and the levels of TNF-α

IL-2R and IL-8 in serum decreased noticeably in both groups after treatment (P<0.05 orP<0. 01)

but the improvement in the treated group was more significant as compared with those in the control group (P<0.05) . The levels of TNF-α

IL-2R and IL-8 in sputum considerably lowered also after XYA treatment (P<0.01). XYA could regulate the related cytokines in patients with mild or moderate bronchial asthma

and reduce the releasing of inflammatory factors

which is consistent with the improvement of lung functions

so as to ease the airway inflammation chiefly exhibited as cell infiltration in bronchi.