A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate Prophylactic Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Supplementing Qi and Hemostasis Formula on Gastrointestinal Bleeding after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients at High Risks

Objective. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) supplementing Qi and hemostasis formula on gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and thus find out the optimal therapeutic regimen to reduce incidence of GI bleeding without increase of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Methods. In the randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial, 117 participants who underwent PCI were enrolled and evenly distributed into treatment arm (59) and control arm (58). Numerous end points were assessed including the primary endpoint of GI bleeding and MACEs and secondary endpoint of thromboelastogram (TEG) (mainly MAadp, inhibition of ADP, and inhibition of AA) and TCM syndrome score during the follow-up phase of 90 days. Results. Incidence of bleeding including GI bleeding and MACE did not differ significantly between two arms (28.82% in treatment arm versus 24.44% in control). However, on both days 30 and 90, TCM treatment remarkably reduced the TCM syndrome total score with notable alteration (P<0.05) except for some parameters such as pulse manifestation. When it came to TEG, however, MAADP increased significantly on day 30 in control arm, accompanied by a notable descending in inhibition rate of ADP pathway (both P<0.01). Conclusion. (1) Supplementing Qi and hemostasis formula is equal to Pantoprazole Sodium Enteric-Coated Capsule in hemostasis and gastric mucosal protection; (2) supplementing Qi and hemostasis formula is superior to Pantoprazole Sodium Enteric-Coated Capsule in improving TCM syndrome manifestation possibly through the multitarget mechanism; (3) interference on clopidogrel of supplementing Qi and hemostasis formula might be much less than Pantoprazole Sodium Enteric-Coated Capsule due to the potential CYP450-independent mechanism. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1800014485.

Effects of Xiaoshuan Enteric-Coated Capsule on White and Gray Matter Injury Evaluated by Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Ischemic Stroke

Xiaoshuan enteric-coated capsule (XSECC) is a drug approved by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of stroke. This study was to investigate the effects of XSECC on white and gray matter injury in a rat model of ischemic stroke by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and histopathological analyses. The ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The cerebral blood flow measured by arterial spin labeling was improved by treatment with XSECC on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 30th days after MCAO. Spatiotemporal white and gray matter changes in MCAO rats were examined with DTI-derived parameters (fractional anisotropy, FA; apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC; axial diffusivity, λ//; radial diffusivity, λ⊥). The increased FA was found in the XSECC treatment group in the corpus callosum, external capsule and internal capsule, linked with the decreased λ//, λ⊥ and ADC on the 3rd day and reduced ADC on the 30th day in the external capsule, suggesting XSECC reduced the axon and myelin damage in white matter after stroke. The relative FA in the striatum, cortex and thalamus in XSECC treatment group was significantly increased on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 30th days accompanied by the increased λ// on the 3rd day and reduced relative ADC and λ⊥ on the 30th day, indicating that XSECC attenuated cell swelling and membrane damage in the early stage and tissue liquefaction necrosis in the late stage in gray matter after stroke. Additionally, XSECC-treated rats exhibited increased mean fiber length assessed by diffusion tensor tractography. Moreover, histopathological analyses provided evidence that XSECC relieved nerve cell and myelin damage in white and gray matter after stroke. Our research reveals that XSECC could alleviate white and gray matter injury, especially reducing nerve cell damage and promoting the repair of axon and myelin after ischemic stroke.

Metformin and Diammonium Glycyrrhizinate Enteric-Coated Capsule versus Metformin Alone versus Diammonium Glycyrrhizinate Enteric-Coated Capsule Alone in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective. The present study was conducted to compare the efficacy of metformin combined with diammonium glycyrrhizinate enteric-coated capsule (DGEC) versus metformin alone versus DGEC alone for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Subjects and Methods. 163 patients with NAFLD and T2DM were enrolled in this 24-week study and were randomized to one of three groups: group 1 was treated with metformin alone; group 2 was treated with DGEC alone; group 3 received metformin plus DGEC combination therapy. Anthropometric parameters, liver function, lipid profile, serum ferritin (SF), metabolic parameters, liver/spleen computed tomography (CT) ratio, and fibroscan value were evaluated at baseline and after 8, 16, and 24 weeks of treatment. Results. After 24 weeks, significant improvements in all measured parameters were observed in three groups (P<0.05) except for the improvements in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and metabolic parameters in group 2 which did not reach statistical significance (P>0.05). Compared with group 1 and group 2, the patients in group 3 had greater reductions in observed parameters apart from CB and TB (P<0.05). Conclusions. This study showed that metformin plus DGEC was more effective than metformin alone or DGEC alone in reducing liver enzymes, lipid levels, and metabolic parameters and ameliorating the degree of hepatic fibrosis in patients with NAFLD and T2DM.