Objective To explore the effect of Baihe Zhimu Tang（ 百合知母汤

BZT） on the airway inflammation in bronchial asthma rats. Methods Forty Wistar rats were randomized into control group

asthma model group

BZT group and dexamethasone（ DX） group with 10 rats in each group. The bronchial asthma rat model was built by intraperitoneal injection of 10% ovalbumin（ OVA） and ultrasonic atomizing inhalation of 2% OVA except for the control group. Thirty minutes before every ultrasonic atomizing inhalation

the BZT group was given BZT 3. 68 g/（ kg·d） by gastric perfusion; the DX group was administered DX injection 1. 2 mg/（ kg·d） by gastric perfusion; as for the control group and asthma model group

they were given normal saline of the same volume; all groups were intervened for 14 days. After that

HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissue

the levels of interleukin-2（ IL-2） and interleukin-4（ IL-4） were measured

and the cell cycle and calcineurin（ CaN） activity were observed in separated peripheral blood lymphocytes. Results For the asthma model group

there was a lot of inflammatory cell infiltration in the bronchial wall under light microscope

the content of IL-4 in the plasma was higher than that in the control group

while the content of IL-2 decreased

the proportion of G

0

/G

1

phase lymphocytes decreased

the proportion of S phase and G

2

/M increased

and the CaN activity of lymphocytes increased significantly（ P

<

0. 05）. For the BZT group

there was only a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue under light microscope

the IL-4 level in the plasma was lower than that in the asthma model group

while the IL-2 content increased

the proportion of G

0

/G

1

phase lymphocytes increased

the proportion of S phase and G

2

/M decreased significantly

and the CaN activity of lymphocytes decreased significantly（ P

<

0. 05）. Conclusion BZT could reduce lymphocyte proliferation

decrease IL-4 level and reduce airway inflammation by reducing CaN activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes of bronchial asthma rats.