The efect of alpha-lipon combined Chinese medicine on diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effect of alpha-lipon and Chinese medicine on diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Methods Sixty patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were randomly divided into two groups.The treatment group were treated with alpha-lipon 600 mg/day by intravenous drip and 150 ml Chinese medicine twice daily for two weeks.The control group were treated with alpha-lipon 600 mg daily for two weeks.All patients were evaluated with TSS score and quantitative sensory tests before and after the treatment.Results There were significant differences on the conduction velocities of the tibial nerve((44.36 ±4.05) m/s vs (51.53 ± 4.76) rm/s ; t =9.6 ; P ＜ 0.01),the peroneal nerve ((43.87 ± 3.81) m/s vs (48.46 ±3.91) m/s;t =8.7;P＜0.01) and the sural nerve (42.31 ±5.05) m/s vs (47.76±5.06) m/s;t =7.9;P＜0.01) in the treatment group before and after treatment.For the control group,only significant differences on the conduction velocities of the tibial nerve ((44.78 ± 5.51) m/s vs.(46.18 ± 5.76) m/s ;t =3.5 ;P ＜ 0.01) and the sural nerve (40.76 ±5.86) m/s vs.(43.71 ±5.91) m/s;t =4.2;P ＜0.01) were observed before and after treatment.There was no sigfinicant difference found on the conduction velocities of the peroneal nerve ((44.48 ± 5.21) m/s vs (44.02 ± 5.71) m/s; t =2.7 ; P ＞ 0.05).Compared with the control group,the treatment group had more significant improvement of the conduction velocities of the tibial nerve (t =6.1 ; P ＜0.01),the peroneal nerve(t =4.8 ;P ＜ 0.01) and the sural nerve (t =5.4 ; P ＜ 0.01) after treatment for two weeks.The effective rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (80％ (24/31)vs 60％ (18/30) ;x2 =5.01 ;P ＜ 0.05).No patients had severe drug side reaction.Conclusion Treatment of alpha-lipon combined Chinese medicine on patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy is safe and effective. Key words: Diabetic neuropathies; Thioctic acid; Chinese medicine