Changes of syndromes and therapeutic feature of the patients with steroid-dependent asthma(SDA)during steroid withdrawal were investigated.It was held that the patient presented pathological changes from deficiency of Yin and hyperactivity of evil fire before steroid withdrawal to deficiency of Yin and Yang during steroid withdrawal to deficiency of kidney-Yang after steroid withdrawal,with the syndrome of stasis of phlegm and blood throughout the whole process.Therefore,a new scheme for weaning the steroid with the TCM three-step sequential therapy was established according to the changes of syndromes,i,e., nourishing Yin and blood,clearing away excessive heat and eliminating stasis of phlegm and blood before steroid withdrawal; nourishing Yin and blood,inhibiting pathogenic wind,replenishing Qi and Yang,activating blood circulation,resolving phlegm and lowering the adverse rise of Qi to relieve asthma during steroid withdrawal;warming kidney-Yang and adjusting Qi and blood,and regulating functional activity of Qi after steroid withdrawal.Because the three-steep sequential therapy was designed based on the dynamic change of SDA during steroid withdrawal,it conformed with the whole clinical process of the occurrence,development and changes of SDA than any other single way,and reflected the essential characteristics of the pathological changes.

0.05).Conclusion: Three-stage sequential method could recover the functions of HPA axis of asthmatic rat models with steroid intervention.