Objective: To investigate the difference in effect of components formula of Shengmai Powder and that of decoction of Shengmai Powder (SMP) on regulating glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in rats after thermal injury. Methods: A total of 32 male SD rats were randomly assigned into normal control group

thermal injury group

components of SMP group and decoction of SMP group

with 8 rats in each group. Rats in normal control and thermal injury groups were intragastrically administered with normal saline (NS) at room temperature once daily and rats in components and decoction of SMP groups were treated with mixture of aqueous extracts of Ophiopogonis Japonic

Fructus schizandrae Chinensis and ginsenosides or decoction of SMP respectively once daily for a week. After the last administration

rats except those in normal control underwent thermal injury for one hour

and then were sacrificed immediately by decapitation. Blood serum was collected

and serum corticosterone (CS) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) respectively. Cytosols from liver

lung and kidney were used to determine the GR binding capacity by radioligand receptor binding assay. The results were analyzed by one point analysis. Results: The simple point analysis showed that the binding capacities of GR in liver

lung and kidney cytosols after thermal injury were obviously lower than that of normal control (P＜0.01). GR binding capacities in liver and lung cytosols of components and decoction of SMP groups were higher than that of thermal injury group. GR binding capacities in liver cytosol of components of SMP group was higher than that of decoction of SMP group

but no significant differences were detected in lung and kidney cytosols between the two groups. Both the Serum CS and ACTH levels of thermal injury group

components of SMP group and decoction of SMP group were higher than that of normal control group. But there was no significant difference between the three groups. Conclusion: The effect of component of SMP on up-regulating GR is better at least partly than that of decoction of SMP in rats after thermal injury.