To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Shaohuang Anchang decoction on patients with severe active ulcerative colitis (UC) of large intestinal dampness-heat pattern, and its influence on intestinal mucosal barrier, inflammatory factors and immune function indicators.

A total of 190 patients with UC large intestinal dampness-heat pattern in severe active period admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from May 2019 to January 2021 were selected as research objects, and randomly divided into control group (95 cases) and observation group (95 cases). The control group was treated with conventional mesalazine sustained-release granules combined with mesalazine suppository for anal therapy. The observation group was treated with Shaohuang Anchang decoction on the basis of the control group. The two groups were treated with 4 weeks as a course of treatment and 2 courses of treatment. The clinical efficacy score, quality of life score (IBDQ), intestinal mucosal barrier damage score, serum D-lactic acid, endothelin (ET) and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels, peripheral blood tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 levels, the ratio of peripheral blood CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ cells and the ratio of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ were compared between the two groups.

The total effective rate in the observation group (93.7%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (81.1%) (P<0.05). After treatment, the total score, intestinal symptom score, general condition score, social function score and emotional function score in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the intestinal mucosal barrier injury score, D-lactic acid, DAO and ET levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the levels of CD8⁺ was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05).

Shaohuang Anchang decoction has a significant effect on patients with severe active UC with large intestinal dampness-heat pattern, and its mechanism may be related to promoting the repair of intestinal mucosal barrier, reducing the level of inflammatory factors, and correcting the immune balance.