Objective: To investigate the effect of Zuoguiwan on the neuro-endocrine-immune function of kidney-Yin deficiency rats. Method: Total 60 healthy Wistar male rats were randomly divided into normal group (same volume of normal saline)

model group (same volume of normal saline)

prevention group (at the same time of modeling

1 g · kg-1 Zuoguiwan) and the low (after modeling

0.5 g · kg-1 Zuoguiwan)

middle (after modeling

1 g · kg-1 Zuoguiwan) and high dose (after modeling

2 g · kg-1 Zuoguiwan) groups of Zuoguiwan. Thyroid tablets were given by ig administration to establish kidney-Yin deficiency models; all groups received ig administration for continuous 21 days. Then their spleen

thymus

urine and blood samples were collected to calculate the organ index; the levels of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)

adrenal corticosteroids hormone (ACTH)

cortisol (CORT)

thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

triiodothyronine (T3)

tetraiodothyronine (T4)

cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)

17-hydroxycorticosteroids(17-OHCS)

interleukin-6(IL-6)

and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) of rats were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Result: As compared with the normal group

T3

T4

cAMP and cGMP

IL-6

and IFN-γ were increased significantly; TSH

cAMP/cGMP

spleen index and thymus index were decreased in model group

with significant differences (P<0.05

P<0.01); all the indexes in prevention group had no significant difference. As compared with the model group

T3

T4

cAMP

cGMP

IL-6 and IFN-γ of each dose group of Zuoguiwan were significantly reduced

and TSH

cAMP/cGMP

spleen index

and thymus index were significantly increased

with significant difference (P<0.05

P<0.01). T3

T4

CRH

ACTH

CORT

cAMP

cGMP

17-OHCS

spleen index

thymoid index in prevention group were significantly increased (P<0.01)

while TSH

cAMP/cGMP

IL-6

IFN-γ was significantly reduced (P<0.01). As compared with the prevention group

T3

CRH

ACTH of each dose group of Zuoguiwan were higher (P<0.05

P<0.01). Conclusion: Zuoguiwan can adjust hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis function in rats with hyperthyroidism type kidney-Yin deficiency

and improve immune function. This could be one of the mechanisms for treating hyperthyroidism type kidney-Yin deficiency.