Effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction on functions of vascular endothelium in patients with unstable angina pectoris

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) on functions of vascular endothelium in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Fifty patients with UAP were randomly divided into two groups: XFZYD-treated group with 32 cases and control group with 18 cases. The patients in the control group were given regular therapy, while the patients in the XFZYD-treated group were given XFZYD additionally on the basis of regular therapy. All patients in both groups were treated for 8 weeks. Then the contents of serum endothelin (ET), nitric oxide (NO), soluble vascular cell adhesive molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were examined by radioimmunoassay, enzymic method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. The total response rate in the XFZYD-treated group was 93.75%, which was significantly higher than 66.67% in the control group (P<0.05). The contents of serum ET, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 in the XFZYD-treated group were much lower than those in the control group (P<0.01), while the content of serum NO was obviously higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). XFZYD can improve the functions of vascular endothelium by lowering the levels of endothelium-derived contracting substances, enhancing the levels of endothelium-derived relaxing substances, and reducing the cell adhesions, and hence to raise the therapeutic effects on UAP.