Abstract:
objective
To study the effect mechanism of andrographolide in stabilizing body temperature by observing the time of stable temperature and the changes in the level of related cytokines after the treatment.
Methods
A total of 40 children with acute bronchial pneumonia were included as the research subjects, who were treated in Dalian Children's Hospital from Oct. 2011 to Mar. 2012, and they were randomly divided into two groups: observation group(n=20) and control group(n=20). Both groups were given conventional treatment, and the observation group was also treated by intravenous dripping of andrographolide injection, 7 to 10 days as a course. The serum was taken before treatment and at 24h after the temperature was stable. ELISA was adopted to determine the level of PGE2，IL-1β，IL-6，IFN-γ and TNF-α. Observe the time of stabilizing temperature, and the changes in the level of PGE2，IL-1β，IL-6，IFN-γ and TNF-α in the serum before and after treatment.
Results
The time of stabilizing temperature in the observation group was (3.10±0.25)d, significantly shorter than that in the control group, which was (4.16±0.23)d, the difference being statistically significant(P<0.01). There was statistical difference in the level of IL-6 and IFN-γ before and after treatment(P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in serum level of PGE2，IL-1β，IL-6 or TNF-α(P>0.05). There was statistical difference in serum level of PGE2 and IFNγ after treatment in both groups(P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in the level of IL-1β，IL-6 or TNF-α(P>0.05).
Conclusion
Andrographolide can directly act on act on PGE2——an important medium in regulating temperature center, reducing the release of PGE2 and regulating the body temperature, which results in the decrease of the children's body temperature and the temperature returns to normal and stays stable. Andrographolide can decrease PGE2 released by hypothalamus by inhibiting IFN-γ and IL-6, achieving the effect of regulating and stabilizing the temperature. The effect of andrograpolide on serum concentration of IL-1β and TNF-α is not significant as far as this study is concerned.

Key words: Bronchial pneumonia, Andrographolide, Fever, Cytokines, Children