Efficacy of Shenqi Pollen Capsules for High-Altitude Deacclimatization Syndrome via Suppression of the Reoxygenation Injury and Inflammatory Response

Abstract EN

High-altitude deacclimatization syndrome (HADAS) is involved in hypoxia-reoxygenation injury and inflammatory response, induced a series of symptoms, and has emerged as a severe public health issue.

Here, we investigated the mechanism as well as potential means to prevent HADAS using Shenqi pollen capsules (SPCs) in subjects with HADAS in a multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

All subjects were at the same high altitude (3650 m) for 4-8 months before returning to lower altitudes.

Subjects (n=288) in 20 clusters were diagnosed with mild or moderate HADAS on the third day of the study.

We randomly allocated 20 clusters of subjects (1 : 1) to receive SPCs or a placebo for 7 weeks, and they were then followed up to the 14th week.

The primary endpoints were subjects’ HADAS scores recorded during the 14 weeks of follow-up.

Compared with the placebo, SPC treatment significantly decreased the subjects’ HADAS scores and reduced the incidence of symptom persistence.

SPC therapy also reduced the serum levels of CK, CK-MB, LDH, IL-17A, TNF-α, and miR-155 and elevated IL-10 and miR-21 levels.

We thus demonstrate that SPCs effectively ameliorated HADAS symptoms in these subjects via suppression of the hypoxia-reoxygenation injury and inflammatory response.