Effect of scutellarein on acute pharyngitis in rats

In order to investigate the therapeutic effects of scutellarein on acute pharyngitis, 60 rats were randomly divided into five groups: blank group, model group, low-dose scutellarein group, high-dose scutellarein group and positive drug group. HE staining, blood-cell-analyzer, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α ELISA kit were used to study the effects of scutellarein on acute pharyngitis in pharyngeal tissue morphology, the counts of white blood cells and neutrophil and the serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Meanwhile, forty mice were randomly divided into four groups: blank group, low-dose scutellarein group, high-dose scutellarein group and positive drug group. Then, hot plate and writhing test of mice were carried out to study the analgesic effects of scutellarein. Results showed that, compared to the model group, scutellarein improved the physical status of acute pharyngitis rats, reduced the number of white blood cells significantly(P< 0. 05)and decreased the number of neutrophils and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in rats serum significantly(P< 0. 01). Meanwhile, scutellarein dramatically improved the pain threshold in hot plate test and decreased the number of writhing mice(P< 0. 01). It can be concluded that scutellarein can be used to treat acute pharyngitis with its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.