ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of Bushen Huoxue Decoction in the treatment of carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Methods Totally 50 patients of carotid atherosclerotic plaque were collected to conduct health education. At the same time, they were given Bushen Huoxue Decoction, one dosage a day, twice a day, decoction, for 12 weeks. The correlation indexes of carotid artery before and after treatment were observed, and TCM syndrome integrals were evaluated before and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks treatment. FBG, TC, LDL-C, CRP HCY, IL-6, IGF-1, and OPG were detected before and after treatment. Hematuria routine, liver and renal function were monitored. Results After treatment, the Crouse score and the plaque grade score of carotid atherosclerotic plaque showed a tendency to decrease, without statistical significance (P=0.060, P=0.336). Carotid maximal plaque area and modified total score of carotid atherosclerotic plaque were significantly reduced compared with that before treatment (P<0.05). TCM syndrome integrals were significantly reduced compared with that before treatment (P<0.05), and the scores decreased significantly with the prolongation of treatment time. TCM syndrome integrals after 4, 8, and 12 weeks were significantly reduced compared with that before treatment (F=160.352, P<0.001). Total effective rate of treatment in the efficacy of TCM syndrome was 85.11％ (40/47). Serum levels of FBG and TC decreased significantly after the treatment compared with that before the treatment, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Serum levels of LDL-C, HCY, CRP, IL-6, IGF-1, and OPG all showed a tendency to decrease, without statistical significance (P>0.05). No abnormality in hematuria routine, liver and renal function examinations were found during the research. Conclusion Bushen Huoxue Decoction has obvious clinical efficacy for carotid atherosclerotic plaque, which can improve clinical symptoms of patients, it also could stabilize and reduce plaque with high safety.