Effects and significance of multiglucosid tripterygii on T-lymphocyte subsets of psoriasis patients

Objective To understand the relationship between T lymphocyte subsets and pathogenesis of psoriasis, and to explore the possible mechanism of multiglucosid tripterygii(MT) in the treatment of acute psoriasis vulgaris. Method Thirty patients with psoriasis were treated with MT. The changes of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood from 30 patients with acute psoriasis vulgaris and healthy controls were detected by using flow cytometry. Results Compared with the normal control group, there was a significant decrease in the number of CD4 +?CD4 +/ CD8 +?CD3 +, a significant increase in the number of CD8 + and a significant variation in the number of CD4 +?CD4 +/ CD8 + and CD3 + in MT treated group, but no singificant variation in the number of CD8 + in MT treated group. Conclusion T lymphocyte subsets CD4 +?CD8 + play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. MT is effective in the treatment of acute psoriasis vulgaris. Its active mechanism might be suppression of the activation of T lymphocyte subsets.