Abstract:Objective:To observe the effect of Xinma Granules on the airway epithelial barrier function in mice with chronic asthma. Methods:A total of 40 female BALB/C mice were randomly divided into the control group, the asthma group, the Xinma Granules group (Xinma group), and the dexamethasone group (DXM group), with 10 mice in each group. The chronic asthma mice models were established by sensitization and stimulation with ovalbumin (OVA). Pathological changes in lung tissue were observed using hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining method; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the levels of interleukin-25 (IL-25) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence methods were used to detect E-cadherin in lung tissue; RT-PCR was used to measure the expression of RORα mRNA. Results: HE staining showed significant airway inflammation in the asthma group. The levels of IL-25 and IL-33 in bronchial lavage fluid in the mice of the asthma group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the levels of IL-25 and IL-33 in the Xinma group and DXM group were lower than those in the asthma group (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence methods found that the relative expression of E-cadherin protein in lung tissue in the asthma group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of E-cadherin protein in lung tissue of the Xinma group and DXM group was higher than that in the asthma group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the expression of RORα mRNA in lung tissue of the asthma group was enhanced (P<0.05); compared with the asthma group,the expression of RORα mRNA in lung tissue of mice in the Xinma group and DXM group was decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion: Xinma Granules can alleviate airway inflammation and improve airway epithelial barrier function in mice with chronic asthma,providing experimental evidence for their clinical application in the treatment of asthma.