Abstract:
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common atopic disorders, which seriously affects patients' quality of
life. Yupingfeng (YPF) Power is a traditional Chinese herb formula, and its oral dosage form has been widely used for
the treatment of AR in Asian countries. In this study, we investigated the effects of YPF nasal drops on ovalbumin (OVA)
sensitized/stimulated allergic rhinitis in rats. A Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model of OVA-induced AR was established and
then treated with three doses of YPF nasal drops. Besides, histopathological features, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP)
in the nasal mucosa, and expression of type 1 helper T (Th1)/type 2 helper T (Th2)-related cytokines in serum were
analyzed. The results showed that YPF nasal drops alleviated the injury of nasal mucosal epithelial structure, promoted
the recovery of ciliary morphology and function and reduced interstitial edema and inflammatory cell infiltration to some
extent. Moreover, YPF nasal drops regulated imbalance in Th1/Th2 cells caused by AR via regulating downward the
expression of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and adjusting upward the expression of interferon-γ (INF-γ) and interleukin 12 (IL-12).
Furthermore, it inhibited the expression of ECP in nasal epithelial eosinophil-specific granules. The findings of this study
provided a new perspective for the treatment of AR with YPF nasal drops based on Traditional Chinese Medicine
