Objective: To examine the effects and immunological mechanism of Shugan Jianpi method on diarrehae-irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D) brain-gut axis dysfunction. Method: SD rats were treated with mother-child separation

acetic acid stimulation combined with restraint stress method to establish the IBS-D model. Themodel rats were randomly divided into five groups:model control group

pinaverium bromide group (0.018 g·kg-1)

Changji'an high

medium and low-dose groups(33.48

16.74

8.37 g·kg-1)

with six in each group. They were continuously administered by gavage for two weeks. At the same time

six normal rats were given normal saline as a normal control group. After administration

average daily food intake

percentage of sugar preferences and automatic activity were observed. ELISA assay was used to detect content of interleukin-8(IL-8) and IL-10 in serum

real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and IL-1β mRNA expressions in colon

and determinate changes in thymus and spleen coefficients. Result: Compared with normal control group

average daily food intake

percentage of sugar preferences and automatic activity of rats in IBS-D model group were reduced

IL-8

TNF-α

IL-1β expressions were increased

IL-10 reduced

thymus and spleen coefficient significantly increased (P<0.05); and compared with model group

in each treatment group

average daily food intake

percentage of sugar preferences and automatic activity significantly rebounded

TNF-α level was reduced in colon

and IL-10 increased(P<0.05); IL-8 and IL-1β expressions of pinaverium ammonium group and Changji'an high and median-dose groups were significantly lower(P<0.05)

while low-dose group showed no significant statistical difference;In each group

thymus coefficient was significantly lower(P<0.05)

and spleen coefficient was decreased

but with no statistical significance. Conclusion: Shugan Jianpi method can improve stagnation of liver and deficiency spleen in IBS-D rats

regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines and enhance the function of immune organs to a certain degree

which may contribute to the improvement of brain-gut axis dysfunction and the treatment of IBS-D.