Objective: To study the treating effect of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang in senile mouse with pruritus disease

and its possible mechanism from the perspective of immune imbalance. Method: Totally 84 Kunming mice were randomly into the normal group

the skin aging group

the skin aging pruritus model group

the diphenhydramine group (0.65 mg · kg-1)

and low

middle and high-dose Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang group (3.25

6.5

13 g · kg-1)

with 12 mice in each group. Except for the normal group

all of the remaining groups were injected with D-galactose 125 mg · kg-1 through mouse neck and back for consecutively 42 days to build the senile mouse model;based on that

the senile pruritus model was induced by injecting dextran 1.25 mg · kg-1 through mouse caudal vein. Seven days later

mouse's scratching frequency and the scratching latency time of were observed with digital video camera. Then the content of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)

IL-4

protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) and substance P in serum were determined the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

and the mast cells number in skin was counted under microscope. Result: Compared with the normal group

the skin pruritus group and skin aging pruritus model group showed signficiant decreases in scratching latency time and PAR-2 conent and increases in scratching frequency and serum IL-1β

PAR-2 and substance P expression (P<0.05). Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang can significantly extend the latent scratching time (P<0.05) and decrease the scratching frequency (P<0.05). After intragastric administration

contents of IL-1

PAR-2 and substance P in serum of drug-treated mouse groups were lower than that of the skin aging pruritus model group (P<0.05)

while IL-4 level in serum was significantly higher than the senile pruritus mouse model group (P<0.05). Meanwhile

mast cells number is decreased (P<0.05) compared with the senile pruritus mouse model group. Conclusion: Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang has prominent therapeutic effect in senile pruritus

and its mechanism is correlated with the body's function of regulating immune imbalance.