Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment Improves the Overall Survival Rate of Individuals with Hypertension among Type 2 Diabetes Patients and Modulates In Vitro Smooth Muscle Cell Contractility.

Ying Lin ,Hsinyi Tsang,Xiang Liu,Yu Ching Lan ,Wen Kuei Chien ,Chang Bi Wang ,Y Yeh ,Yi Tzone Shiao ,Shih Yin Chen ,Chien-Chang Liao ,Jaung Geng Lin ,Ju Pi Li ,Ting Hsu Lin ,Jin Hua Chen ,Cheng Wen Lin ,Fuu Jen Tsai ,Yu Huei Liu ,Tsung Jung Ho ,Chi Fung Cheng ,Hao Yu Pang ,Shaohui Huang ,Wen Miin Liang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0145109

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic, multifactorial, and metabolic disorder accounting for 90% diabetes cases worldwide. Among them, almost half of T2D have hypertension, which is responsible for cardiovascular disease, morbidity, and mortality in these patients. The Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) prescription patterns of hypertension individuals among T2D patients have yet to be characterized. This study, therefore, aimed to determine their prescription patterns and evaluate the CHM effect. A cohort of one million randomly sampled cases from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) was used to investigate the overall survival rate of CHM users, and prescription patterns. After matching CHM and non-CHM users for age, gender and date of diagnosis of hypertension, 980 subjects for each group were selected. The CHM users were characterized with slightly longer duration time from diabetes to hypertension, and more cases for hyperlipidaemia. The cumulative survival probabilities were higher in CHM users than in non-CHM users. Among these top 12 herbs, Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan, Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, Dan-Shen, and Ge-Gen were the most common herbs and inhibited in vitro smooth muscle cell contractility. Our study also provides a CHM comprehensive list that may be useful in future investigation of the safety and efficacy for individuals with hypertension among type 2 diabetes patients.

Highlights

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic, multifactorial, and metabolic disorder and accounts for 90% of those with diabetes worldwide [1]
Our study provides a Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) comprehensive list that may be useful in future investigation of the safety and efficacy for individuals with hypertension among type 2 diabetes patients
We used a population-based database to investigate the demographic characteristics, the overall survival analysis and prescription patterns of individuals with hypertension among type 2 diabetes patients according to CHM usage

Summary

Introduction

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic, multifactorial, and metabolic disorder and accounts for 90% of those with diabetes worldwide [1]. In Taiwan, T2D is one of the top 10 leading causes of death, suggesting that this disease is one of the most important health problems today. T2D is characterized by abnormally high levels of blood glucose resulting from impaired pancreatic β cell function, decreased insulin sensitivity in target tissues, and increased glucose output from the liver [5, 6]. Chronic hyperglycemia causes multiple organ damage and failure, affecting sites including the blood vessels and heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and peripheral circulatory disorders are believed to be responsible for the symptoms, signs, ill-defined secondary conditions, and mortality observed in patients with diabetes

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Results

Conclusion