目的：研究卵清蛋白（OVA）致敏哮喘大鼠Th1/Th2/Th17细胞因子及肺泡巨噬细胞吞噬功能的变化以及槐杞黄的治疗效应。方法：40只4~6周龄雄性Sprague-Dawley大鼠随机分成正常对照组、哮喘组、布地奈德组、槐杞黄组和布地奈德+槐杞黄组（n=8）。OVA致敏和激发建立哮喘模型。酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）方法测定血浆和支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）IL-4、IFN-γ、IL-17水平；分离、纯化BALF的肺泡巨噬细胞，测定肺泡巨噬细胞的吞噬功能。结果：与正常对照组比较，哮喘组血浆和BALF中IL-4和IL-17升高，IFN-γ降低。与哮喘组相比，槐杞黄组IFN-γ升高。布地奈德+槐杞黄组IFN-γ升高及IL-17降低较布地奈德组和槐杞黄组更显著。肺泡巨噬细胞的吞噬功能：哮喘组较正常对照组降低，槐杞黄组和布地奈德+槐杞黄组较正常对照组、哮喘组和布地奈德组均升高。血浆和BALF IFN-γ水平与肺泡巨噬细胞的吞噬功能呈正相关。结论：哮喘大鼠血浆和BALF IL-4和IL-17表达升高、IFN-γ表达降低，肺泡巨噬细胞吞噬功能下降。槐杞黄能明显提高哮喘大鼠血浆和BALF IFN-γ表达和肺泡巨噬细胞的吞噬能力，且与吸入性糖皮质激素合用有协同作用。

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of huai qi huang, a traditional Chinese medicine, on cytokines Th1, Th2 and Th17 levels and alveolar macrophage phagocytosis in asthmatic rats sensitized by ovalbumin (OVA). METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control, untreated asthma, budesonide-treated, huai qi huang-treated and budesonide+huai qi huang-treated asthma (n=8 each). Asthma was induced by OVA sensitization and challenge. The levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-17 in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured using ELISA. The phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages which were isolated and purified from BALF was evaluated by the colorimetric assay. RESULTS: The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 increased, in contrast, the IFN-γ level decreased in plasma and BALF in the untreated asthma group compared with those in the normal control group. The IFN-γ level in the huai qi huang-treated asthma group was higher than that in the untreated asthma group. The IFN-γ level increased and the IL-17 level decreased more significantly in the budesonide+huai qi huang-treated asthma group when compared with the budesonide and huai qi huang alone treatment groups. The phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in the untreated asthma group was lower than that in the normal control group. Huai qi huang alone or combined with budesonide increased the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages compared with the normal control, untreated asthma and budesonid-treated asthma groups. The levels of IFN-γ in plasma and BALF were positively correlated with the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 increase and the IFN-γ level decreases in plasma and BALF, and the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages decreases in asthmatic rats. Huai qi huang treatment may increase the IFN-γ expression in plasma and BALF and the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in asthmatic rats. There is a synergistic effect between huai qi huang and glucocorticoids.