Objective: To explore the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) in treating primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS).
Methods: Based on the treatment of prednisone acetate and cytoxan, two groups of PNS patients were treated with aspirin and persantin (western medicine group, 35 patients) and BHD and western medicine (TCM-WM group, 35 patients) respectively. The effect on anticoagulation was observed and compared. Plasma levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-Keto-PGF1 alpha), endothelin (ET), calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) were determined before and after treatment, and at the time of reducing dose and turning to maintenance dose of prednisone. The therapeutic effect of the two groups were also observed. Another group of 30 healthy person was established for control.
Results: The difference of TXB2, 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha, ET, CGRP between patients and healthy persons was very significant before treatment (P < 0.001). Above-mentioned 4 parameters improved synchronously with the clinical improvement in the therapeutic course and they were better in the TCM-WM group than those in the western medicine group (P < 0.001) and the complete remission rate of the former group was also higher than that of the latter (62.9% vs 37.1%, chi 2 = 4.63, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: BHD could improve the therapeutic effect in treating PNS through the mechanism of improving TXB2, 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha, ET and CGRP levels.