Abstract:Objective To analyze the efficacy of Zaoshi Kushen Decoction combined with NB-UVB on psoriasis vulgaris and the expressions of Th17 and Treg cell-related cytokines. Methods Totally 126 patients with psoriasis vulgaris in our hospital from June 2014 to December 2015 were divided into a Chinese medicine control group (group A), a NB-UVB control group (group B) and a study group (group C) according to their visiting sequence, each group had 42 patients. The 42 patients in the group A were treated by Zaoshi Kushen Decoction, those in the group B were treated by NB-UVB local irradiation while the 42 patients in the group C were treated by Zaoshi Kushen Decoction and NB-UVB local irradiation. In addition 40 normal people of physical examination were selected as the control group. Both groups A and B were treated for 12 weeks. The percentage of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood and its specific transforming factor RORγt mRNA (orphan receptor transcription factor), secretion factor IL-17, as well as the percentage of Treg cells and its specific transforming factor Foxp3 mRNA (fork-like transcription factor), and secretory factor TGF-β were compared before and after treatment. Results After 12 weeks of treatment, the PASI scores of the three groups were significantly decreased, and the score of the group C was significantly lower than that of the group A and the group B (P < 0.05), and the total effective rate of the group C was significantly higher than that of the group A and the group B (P < 0.05). Before treatment, compared to the healthy control group, the percentage of peripheral blood Th17 cells and the levels of RORγt mRNA and IL-17 of both groups A and B were significantly increased; while Treg cell proportion and the levels of Foxp3 mRNA and TGF-β decreased significantly, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, the expressions of Th17 cell-related factors were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment, whereas the expressions of Treg cell-related factors were significantly higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusions Zaoshi Kushen Decoction can inhibit Th17 cell expressions, restore Treg/Th17 homeostasis and enhance the immune suppression function of Treg cells, thereby reduce the inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood and skin lesions and significantly improve the clinical symptoms of psoriasis vulgaris. For moderate or severe patients, the treatment effect of Zaoshi Kushen Decoction combined with UVB-NB radiation therapy is better.