Objective  To explore effects of enema by Qingkui Yuyang Decoction and mesalamine in combination on syndrome score, intestinal barrier function, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) levels in ulcerative colitis (UC) with dampness-heat type.

  Methods  A total of 110 UC patients with damp-heat type were selected as research objects. According to treatment methods, they were divided into mesalazine group (receiving mesalazine for treatment, 35 cases), probiotics combined with mesalamine group (receiving probiotics combined with mesalazine, 35 cases), and Qingkui Yuyang combined with mesalazine group (receiving Qingkui Yuyang Decoction and mesalazine, 40 cases). The patients of three groups were all treated for 4 weeks, and the changes of TCM syndrome scores, Baron endoscopy scores, intestinal barrier function indexes, TLR4 and NF-κB levels before and after treatment were compared.

  Results  Before treatment, patients of the three groups had no differences in the abdominal pain score, diarrhea score, bloody purulent stool score, Baron endoscopy score, serum D-lactic acid(D-LA), diamine oxidase (DAO) level, lactulose/mannitol (L/M) value, average optical density of TLR4 and NF-κB protein (P>0.05); after treatment, abdominal pain score, diarrhea score, bloody purulent stool score, Baron endoscopy score, serum D-LA, DAO level, L/M value, average optical density of TLR4 and NF-κB protein of the three groups were all lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05). The above indicators were lower in the Qingkui Yuyang combined with mesalazine group than those in the probiotics combined with mesalamine group and mesalazine group, and were also lower in the probiotics combined with mesalamine group than those in the mesalazine group(P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Enema by Qingkui Yuyang Decoction and mesalamine in combination in treating UC with dampness-heat type can reduce the patient′s syndrome score, improve the intestinal barrier function, and inhibit the expression of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, and improve clinical symptoms.