Yanshu spraying agent, a traditional Chinese medicine, relieves chronic pharyngitis in animals by anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Chronic pharyngitis is chronic inflammation that is often caused by repeated occurrences of acute pharyngitis or upper respiratory tract infections, including Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Yanshu spraying agent (Yanshu) in relieving chronic pharyngitis, as well as the possible underlying mechanisms. The results revealed that Yanshu inhibited chronic inflammation in ammonia-induced chronic pharyngitis in rabbits and cotton pellet-induced granuloma tissue formation in rats. Yanshu also demonstrated antibacterial effects on Streptococcus and Staphylococcus in vitro. Yanshu did not exhibit any effects on the immune system, including the spleen and thymus indexes, immunocyte count and monocyte-macrophage function, when compared with the effects of dexamethasone. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate that Yanshu may relieve chronic pharyngitis via its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities.