Objective To explore the potential mechanism of chiropractic method in treating asthma of spleen deficiency type. Methods Forty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into control group（ n = 8）

and asthma group

spleen deficiency asthma group and chiropractic spleen deficiency asthma group（ n = 12 in each）. Asthma model in the asthma group was built by OVA sensitization and stimulation; while spleen deficiency asthma model in the spleen deficiency asthma group and chiropractic spleen deficiency asthma group was built with OVA sensitization and stimulation on the basis of spleen deficiency caused by oral administration of Xiao Chengqi Decoction（ 小承气汤）.The control group and the asthma group were simply given oral tap water（ 1. 5 ml/100 g）

with head soft touch and tail held lightly without chiropractic; the spleen deficiency asthma group was treated with the head soft touch and the tail held lightly without chiropractic; chiropractic spleen deficiency asthma group was given chiropractic. Intestinal flora was detected by gram staining after fecal smear. The histopathology of lung tissue was observed and the total number of inflammatory cells and the proportion of eosinophils in alveolar lavage fluid were measured by HE staining.Results There were significant differences in the body weight

ratio of bacillus to cocci

and rato of positive bacillus to total number of bacteria among groups on the 44 th

51 st and 62 nd day（ P < 0. 01）. At the 18 th and 42 nd hour after modeling

compared with those in the control group

the number of inflammatory cells and the proportion of eosinophils were significantly higher in asthma group

spleen deficiency asthma group and chiropractic spleen deficiency asthma group

and those in the spleen deficiency asthma group were significantly higher than those in the asthma group and chiropractic spleen deficiency asthma group（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. At the 42 nd hour after modeling

the number of inflammatory cells and the proportion of eosinophils in the asthma group and chiropractic spleen deficiency asthma group significantly decreased compared with those at the 18 th hour（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. Conclusion Chiropractic method could effectively improve the intestinal flora disturbance status in spleen deficiency

helping to reduce the inflammation in the asthma of spleen deficiency type

which may be one of the important mechanisms of prevention and treatment of asthma of spleen deficiency type.