RESUMEN
Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture-moxibustion plus Zhi Ge Tong Mai granules on the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, level of homocysteine (Hcy) and nerve conduction in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Method Ninety DPN patients were enrolled and randomized into a control group and an observation group. The control group only received Zhi Ge Tong Mai granules, and the observation group was intervened by acupuncture-moxibustion plus Zhi Ge Tong Mai granules. The clinical efficacy, TCM syndrome score, and levels of Hcy, nerve growth factor (NGF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and nerve conduction function were observed for the two groups. Result The observation group had a higher total effective rate than the control group (P<0.05); the TCM syndrome score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group after treatment (P<0.05); the levels of Hcy and VEGF in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the levels of NGF and IGF-1 in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05); after treatment, the motor and sensory conduction velocities of both left and right tibial nerves in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture-moxibustion plus Zhi Ge Tong Mai granules can boost the clinical efficacy, and improve the TCM syndrome score, and the levels of factors such as Hcy and VEGF in patients with DPN.It can produce better efficacy than Zhi Ge Tong Mai granules alone.