Objective:To evaluate IL-13 concentration changes in serum of children with asthma and the effect of Huaiqihuang on asthmatic rats for expression of inflammatory factors and the effect with budesonide. Methods:Ten asthmatic children (the asthma group) and 10 healthy children (the control group) were selected. There was no significant difference in age,gender and body mass index between the asthma group and the control group. Serum IL-13 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Fifty healthy male SD rats (aged 4-6 weeks),after adaptive feeding for one week,were randomly divided into 5 groups:the normal control group,the asthma model group,the budesonide group (the BUD group),the Huaiqihuang group (the H group) and the budesonide + Huaiqihuang group (the BUD+H group). Asthma model was induced ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge for 6 weeks. Rats were analyzed for tissue biopsy. In addition,ELISA was used to detect the IL-13 in blood and BALF in both asthmatic and control subjects. Results:Serum IL-13 concentration in the asthma group was higher than in that in the control group. Pulmonary histopathological changes:inflammatory cell infiltration,columnar cell hyperplasia,trachea wall thickening were observed in the model group around the airway;the normal group had no such differences;the BUD group,the H group,the BUD+H group showed less inflammation cells infiltration than in the model,the BUD+H group reduced more than in the H group (P < 0.05). Compared to the normal group,in the model group, IL-13 concentrations in BALF and plasma increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group,in the BUD group,the H group and the BUD+H group,IL-13 concentration in BALF and plasma reduced to varying degrees (P < 0.05),and the BUD+H group changed more obvious than in the BUD group (P < 0.05). Conclusion:In the OVA-induced asthma model,the use of Budesonide,Huaiqihuang or Budesonide + Huaiqihuang combination therapy can improve airway inflammation in different degrees. Budesonide + Huaiqihuang combination therapy may have a synergistic effect.