Objective: To observe the effect of tonifying Kidney (TK), invigorating Spleen (IS) and promoting blood circulation (PBC) recipes on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-thymus (HPAT) axis.
Methods: Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, radioimmunoassay and cellular immunity techniques were used to observe the effects of TH, IS, PBC on the neuroendocrine and immune system of this experimental model which HPAT axis was inhibited by corticosterone.
Results: Only TK could avoid the depression of exogenous corticosterone, which by enhancing the expression of CRFmRNA in hypothalamus, and following the improvement of function of HPAT axis, that IS might have direct promotion on immune system, whereas without any effect of PBC on HPAT axis was observed.
Conclusion: TK, IS and PBC recipes have different effects on HPAT axis.