Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effects of Nourishing Kidney-Yin Prescription combined with glucocorticoid on the T lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory cytokines in the mice with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), and to elucidate the mechanism of Chinese and Western medicine combination in the treatment of SLE.Methods: Fifty MRL/ lpr mice were randomly divided into model group, Western medicine group, Chinese medicine group, low dose and high dose of combintion groups(n=10). Ten C57BL/6 mice were selected as control group.The mice in control group and model group were given 0.5 mL·d^-1 normal saline by gavage;the mice in Western medicine group were given 12.5 mg·kg^-1 prednisone acetate (glucocorticoid) by gavage;the mice in Chinese medicine group were given 25.0 g·kg^-1 Nourishing Kindey-Yin Prescription by gavage;the mice in low and high doses of combination groups were given 12.5 and 25.0 g·kg^-1 Nourishing Kidney-Yin prescription by gavage and 6.25 mg·kg^-1 prednisone acetate, respectively. After 21 d of continuous administration,the spleen indexes and thymus indexes of the mice in various groups were calculated. The levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺T lymphocyte subsets in the periphreal blood of the mice in various groups were determined by flow cytometry.The serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and γ- interferon (IFN-γ) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method.Results: Compared with model group, the spleen indexes and thymus indexes of the mice in Western medicine, low dose of combination group and high dose of combination group were decreased obviously (P<0.05).Compared with model group,the levels of CD3⁺ lymphocytes and CD4 ⁺T lymphocytes in Chinese medicine group,low dose of combintion group and high dose of combination group were significantly increased (P<0.05).Compared with model group,the CD8 ⁺T lymphocyte levels in Western medicine group,Chinese medicine group,low dose combination group and high dose combination group were significantly decreased (P<0.05), the serum IL-4 and IL-6 levels were obviously decreased (P<0.05), and the IFN-γ levels were significantly increased(P<0.05);the mesagial cell and mesangial matrix hyperplasia were improved,and the renal intestitial inflammatory cell infiltration was relieved.Conclusion: Nourishing Kidney-Yin Prescription combined with glucocorticoid can effectively regulate the body's immune balance by reducing the inflammatory cytokines, regulating T lymphocyte subgroup equilibrium, and recovering the deficiency of the immune-suppression therapy by monosaccharide corticosteroids.

Key words: systemic lupus erythematosus, cytokines, T lymphocyte subsets, Nourishing Kidney-Yin Prescription, glucocorticoid