ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Naoxintong Capsule (NC) on the vascular endothelial function and the infarct size of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and four patients with AMI were randomly assigned to the NC group (Group A, 36 cases), the Tongguan Capsule group (Group B, 32 cases), and the conventional Western medicine group (Group C, 36 cases). The conventional Western medicine was given to the three groups. NC was additionally given to Group A, and Tongguan Capsule was additionally given to Group B. The therapeutic course for all was 4 weeks. The plasma nitric oxide (NO), endothelin (ET), von Willebrand factor (vWF) were detected in the 3 groups before and after treatment. The inner diameter of brachial artery was examined by ultrasonograph. The flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and the nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NMD) were calculated. The ECG QRS integral and the infarct size were assessed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in the vascular endothelial function, ECG QRS integral, or the infarct size among the three groups before treatment (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment, NO and NMD obviously increased after treatment in Group A and Group B, while the vWF and the infarct size obviously decreased in Group A, all showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with those in Group C, the NO, FMD, NMD significantly increased and ET obviously decreased in Group A and B after treatment (P < 0.05). The ECG QRS integral and the infarct size also decreased, with statistically significant differences in Group A (P < 0.05). Better effects on improving NO, NMD, and vWF were obtained in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NC could reduce the infarct size of AMI patients possibly through improving the vascular endothelial function.</p>