Effects of puerarin combined with conventional therapy on ischemic stroke.

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of conventional therapy combined with puerarin on ischemic stroke. Eighty patients with ischemic stroke admitted to Tangshan Gongren Hospital from March 2014 to September 2015 were randomly divided into two groups. The control group was treated with conventional therapy. The observation group was treated with an additional puerarin injection of 400 mg/day. The patients in both groups were examined for clinical neurological signs and symptoms. The levels of biochemical markers as well as changes in hemorheology were measured after the intervention and compared among the groups. Our results indicate that the language expression was significantly better in the observation group after the intervention (p<0.05). Additionally, the aphasia quotient was higher (p<0.05), the neurological deficit score was lower (p<0.05), and the functional ability score was higher (p<0.05). The plasma S-100B and NSE levels were lower (p<0.05), the whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity were lower (p<0.05), and the levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, corticotropin, cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine were lower (p<0.05). Our findings led to the conclusion that the use of puerarin can effectively improve the language function, reduce neurological damage, reduce blood viscosity, reduce stress response and improve quality of life.