Effect of Qi-tonifying Chinese Herbal Products for Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is the type I hypersensitivity reaction of nasal mucosa to environmental allergen. It is characterized by one or more symptoms including sneezing, itching , rhinorrhea and nasal congestion. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Taiwan is approximately 20%-30% and increases annually. However, symptom relapse still bothered the majority of patients though there were certain advances in western medicine. In addition, side effects of western medicine, such as lethargy, mouth dryness after taking anti-histamine and immunosuppression after using steroid are also concerned by patient.

Traditional Chinese medicine has been used widely in Taiwan for several disease, especially allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis. Among all Chinese herbal products, qi-tonifying regimen play a central role for allergic diseases control. Bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang (BZYQT), one of the famous qi-tonifying herbal products, has been proved to have immuno-modulation effect in previous studies. However, proof of clinical investigation of therapeutic efficacy and cellular level response are still lacking.

In this study, a double-blinded, randomized, placebo control design is applied and total 120 intermittent allergic rhinitis patients will be enrolled in our study. All subjects will be divided into BZYQT and placebo control groups, each group will have 60 subjects. Subjects of BZYQT group will receive capsule of BZYQT, 3gm tid, 9gm a day, while control group will receive similar placebo capsule with same scheme. Total 2 month treatment course will be done. Clinical evaluation, including symptom severity, quality of life and chronic fatigue degree will be done once per month and one month after completed treatment. Additionally, various parameters for immunologic response will be checked before and after the treatment, including the total IgE amount, the ratio of CD4/CD8 of T lymphocytes, the profile of cytokine such as IL-4,IL-5,IL-8,IL-10,IL-13, IFN-γ as well as PGE2, LTC4, sICAM-1 , the mRNA expression of COX2 and neutrophil phagocytosis. Dendritic cell function, presumably the most important immune-response inducer, will also be checked through test for IL-10 and IL-12.

Results will be analyzed statistically including gender analysis. We hope that therapeutic efficacy and possible cellular mechanism of immune-modulation will be elucidated after completing this clinical trial.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with one or more following symptoms: nose itching, sneezing, rhinorrhea with clear nasal discharge, stuffy nose.
• exacerbation times less than 4 days a week or consecutive episodes less than four weeks
• Mite allergy confirmed by Childhood Allergy Panel (CAP)

Exclusion criteria

• Use of steroid, antihistamine, Montelukast or other immuno-modulation drugs or duration of drug discontinuation less than one month
• Active infection, including sinusitis
• Vasomotor rhinitis
• Unable to swallow capsule or history of poor medication compliance
• Major organ dysfunction with relevant impaired physical performance status