Effect of modified banxia houpu decoction on protracted abstinence syndrome and 1-year relapse rate after heroin-dependence detoxification

Debin HUANG; Zhaofen YU; Lin FU

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Modified banxia houpu decoction (MBHD) is one of thefamous methods and has been used by Zhang Zhong-jin to treat emotionaldiseases in Han dynasty, and it has been used till now. It can be used totreat depression, anxiety, phychoneurosis and so on.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the therapeutic effect of MBHD on treatingheroin abusers with protracted abstinence syndrome and compare the effectwith brown sugar water.

DESIGN:

Randomized grouping and placebo randomized controlled study.

SETTING:

School of Medicine, Hubei Institute for Nationalities and theAbstinence Institute of Public Security Bureau of Enshi AutonomousPrepecture.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 187 cases were the abusers of heroin who hadbeen forced to abstinence in the Abstinence Institute of Public SecurityBureau of Enshi Autonomous Prepecture from August 2000 to September2002. There were 101 males and 86 females aged 18-44 years. All pa-tients were known the fact and were randomly divided into control group(n=58), 60-day MBHD group (n=62) and 72-MBHD group (n=67) accordingto double-blind method.

METHODS:

① During the abstinence, three groups were treated bylofexidine hydrochloride (LFX) which was produced by the LimitedCompany of Zhengtai Pharmaceuticals Enterprise of Hunan Province (lotnumber 990619, 10 mg/pill) for 12 days, then they were treated sepa-rated. Give medicine to 60-MBHD group continuously for 60 days (MB-HD Pinellia Ternate 15 g, Magnolia Bark 30 g, Poria Cocos 20 g, Perilla10 g, Ginger 20 g, Radix Acanthopanacis Senticosi 20 g, Pericarpium CitriReticulate 6 g, Pericarpium Arecae 20 g, Herba Agastachis 10 g. Tradi-tional Chinese medicines were all bought from HuBei Medicine Company;three times a day, one portion for two days), gave the control group red sug-ar water imitate medicine for 60 days (the method was the same as above),72-MBHD group were given the same quantity of MBHD as 60-MBHDgroup when LFX began to detoxifieate, the whole time was 72 days (Thetime before LFX treat 12 days and after 60 days). It took 72 days for thethree groups to be treated by LFX according to single-blind method. ②Heroin protracted abstinence syndrome scale insomnia, pain syndromes,catarrh syndromes, mental conditions and sexual function. They werescored respectively to 1, 2, 3 according to mild, moderate and severe.③ One year tater collected the urina sanguinis (three times a week con-tinuously) regarded the positive as re-abusers. ④ Measurement andenumeration data were compared with t test and x2 test respectively.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

① Scores of protracted abstinencesyndrome; ② Comparisons of drug re-abusing rate within one year.

RESULTS:

Totally 187 heroin-dependence patients entered the finalanalysis. ① Scores of protracted abstinence syndrome were lower in 60-day MBHD group and 72-day MBHD group than those in control group(P ＜ 0.01). Scores of pain and catarrh symptoms in 72-day MBHD group were similar to those in 60-day MBHD group (P ＞ 0.05), but scores of insomnia, mental conditions and sexual function were lower than those in 60-day MBHD group (P ＜ 0.01). ② Drug re-abusing rate within one year was lower in 72-day MBHD group than that in control group and 60-day MBHD group [73% (49/67), 95% (55/58), 82% (51/62),P ＜ 0.05],but rate in 60-day MBHD group was similar to that in control group (P ＞ 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

MBHD can improve the protracted abstinence symptoms of heroin abusers after detoxification. In spite of the complexity of various factors, to effectively control the early stage abstinence symptoms and median stage protracted abstinence symptoms is one of the effective measures to prevent drug re-abusing.