OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Angelica sinensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine on function of peritoneal macrophages during peritoneal dialysis.

METHODSPeritoneal macrophages of mice were cultured in culture medium (control), peritoneal dialysate (PD), drugs contained PD containing Angelica, Salvia and Ligustrazine combined (PD-ASL) or separated (PD-A, PD-S, PD-L) with concentration of 2 micrograms/ml, 10 micrograms/ml and 100 micrograms/ml, separately for 24 hrs. The nitric oxide (NO) content, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) reducing capacity (MTT-RC) and phagocytosis capacity of macrophages were determined and compared.

RESULTSNO content and MTT-RC of macrophages cultured in PD group were significantly lower than those of the control (P < 0.01), as compared with those in drug contained PD groups, the NO content in the PD-L group and the MTT-RC in the PD-ASL group were higher significantly (P < 0.01). The phagocytosis capacity and NO content in the PD-ASL group were raised along with the increased concentration of drug in PD.

CONCLUSIONAdministering Chinese herbal medicine during peritoneal dialysis has important significance in improving the defense function of peritoneal macrophages, reducing the incidence of peritonitis and enhancing the therapeutic effect of peritoneal dialysis.