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INTRODUCTION
Lipid metabolic disorders, hemorrheological abnormality and microcirculation
disturbance have become one of the major reasons for the development
of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial
infarction and cerebrovascular accidents. In this study, we used
Xuezhikang to treat 70 hyperlipoidemia patients to investigate its
curative effects on lipid level, hemorrheology and nailbed microcirculation.
Here is the detail.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Patients
42 men, 28 women were chosen aging from 36 ~ 68 years old
averaging 56.8. The 70 patients had high serum lipid levels with
35 cases TC increase, 40 cases of TG increase and 20 cases of HDL-C
decrease. They all presented hemorrheological abnormalities and
nailbed microcirculation disturbance. In addition, 32 target patients
complicated with coronary heart disease, 23 patients with hypertension,
9 with cerebrovascular disorders and 6 with diabetes.
Administration
Method
Xuezhikang capsule, [(1995) approval code Z-94 by the Ministry of
Public Health], developed by Beijing WBL Peking University Biotech
Co., Ltd., was administrated by target patients with 0.6 g each
time, twice a day. Each capsule contains 0.3 g Xuezhikang. The treatment
lasted for 2 months.
Observation
Methods
Self-comparison approach was adopted in the study. During the administration
of Xuezhikang, other lipid-regulating agents or blood viscosity
improving medicine were prohibited. Conventional blood and urine
test, electrocardiogram, blood sugar, hepatic and renal functions,
serum lipid level, hemorrheology and nailbed microcirculation were
examined before the treatment. The above examinations were repeated
2-month after the administration. Pre- and post-treatment data matching
t-test was utilized for statistic process.
RESULTS
Effects
on Serum Lipid
Efficacy
of Xuezhikang on TC, TG and HDL-C abnormalities was 79.7%, 72.5%
and 75% respectively. (See Table I)
| Table
I. Efficacy of Xuezhikang on Abnormal Serum Lipid Concentrations
(case,%) |
|
Cases
|
Highly
Effective
|
Effective
|
Effective
|
Deteriorate
|
Efficacy
(%)
|
| TC |
35
|
12
(34.2)
|
16
(45.7)
|
5
(14.3)
|
2
(5.8)
|
79.7
|
| TG |
40
|
14
(35.0)
|
15
(37.5)
|
8
(20.0)
|
3
(7.5)
|
72.5
|
| HDL-C |
20
|
6
(30.0)
|
9
(45.0)
|
4
(20.0)
|
1
(5.0)
|
75.0
|
Reduction
Degree on Serum Lipid
TC
decreased by 24.9%, TG reduced by 30.2% and HDL-C went up by 28.5%.
(See Table II) It demonstrated that Xuezhikang has dramatic performance
in reducing the concentrations of TC and TG while improving HDL-C
level.
| Table
II. Serum Lipid Concentration Changes before and after Xuezhikang
Treatment (mmol/L, X± s) |
|
Before
Treatment
|
After
Treatment
|
Change
(%)
|
P
Value
|
| TC |
7.32
± 1.20
|
5.49
± 2.60
|
24.9
|
<
0.05
|
| TG |
1.66
± 0.24
|
1.16
± 0.61
|
30.2
|
<
0.05
|
| HDL-C |
0.86
± 0.20
|
1.21
± 0.43
|
28.5
|
<
0.05
|
Effects on Hemorrheology and Nailbed Microcirculation
Observation found that Xuezhikang significantly suppressed platelet
aggregation, improved blood viscosity and plasma viscosity, and
reduced the level of fibrinogen. It possessed obvious performance
in improving microcirculation. Moreover, both loop form, blood flow
and weighted peripheral integration value of loop reduced under
its influence. (See Table III and Table IV)
| Table
III. Effects of Xuezhikang on Abnormal Hemorrheology (X±
s) |
|
Before
Treatment
|
After
Treatment
|
P
Value
|
| Platelet
Viscosity |
52.6
± 0.52
|
41.37
± 7.31
|
<
0.05
|
| Blood
Specific Viscosity (mpa.s) |
4.26
± 0.50
|
3.81
± 0.65
|
<
0.05
|
| Plasma
Specific Viscosity (mpa.s) |
1.72
± 0.37
|
1.51
± 0.25
|
<
0.05
|
| Fibrinogen
(g/L) |
4.58
± 0.95
|
3.68
± 0.39
|
<
0.05
|
| Table
IV. Effects of Xuezhikang on Weighted Integral of Nailbed Microcirculation
(X± s) |
|
Before
Treatment
|
After
Treatment
|
P
Value
|
| Loop |
1.45
± 0.92
|
1.38
± 0.81
|
>0.05
|
| Blood
Flow |
2.15
± 0.75
|
1.21
± 0.85
|
<
0.01
|
| Peripheral
Loop |
1.24
± 0.83
|
1.06
± 0.66
|
<
0.05
|
| Overall
Integral |
4.84
± 1.56
|
3.65
± 1.42
|
<
0.01
|
Side-effects
No side-effects appeared in the course of the administration
or in post-treatment examinations. And there were no obvious changes
in the levels of erythrocyte, leukocyte and platelet. Nor did any
significant changes occur in hepatic and renal functions.
DISCUSSION
The
main ingredients of Xuezhikang come from refined extract of Monascus
purpureus (red yeast) rice. Currently, it is thought that its lipid
regulating mechanism lies in the existence of rich HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitor, unsaturated fatty acid and various kinds of necessary
amino acids. They possess specific competitive inhibition against
HMG-CoA reductase, reduce the formation of TC and lower serum TC
level. Meanwhile, they can remarkably decrease serum TG and increase
HDL-C level. Pharmacological experiment has demonstrated that Xuezhikang
could not only reduce serum TC and TG (of rabbit or quail models)
significantly, but also inhibit the development of atherosclerosis
and lipid deposition in the liver of hyperlipoidemia rabbits.
- Recent
reports on clinical effects of Xuezhikang on primary hyperlipoidemia
also demonstrate lipid regulation strength of 1.2 g/d Xuezhikang
being similar to that of 10 mg/d Mavastatin but with less side-reactions.
- Lipid
metabolic disorder is the key factor leading to the increase of
plasma viscosity. However, Xuezhikang may reduce blood viscosity
and platelet aggregation by improving serum lipid metabolism,
and subsequently improve hemorrheology and microcirculation. This
study demonstrated that Xuezhikang possesses the above functions
without any side-effects. Therefore, it can be utilized as an
effective clinical medicine to treat hyperlipoidemia and prevent
and cure cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.
REFERENCES
|
1.
|
Zhu
Yan, Li Changling, Wang Yinye, Lipid Regulation Effects of Xuezhikang
on Hyperlipoidemia Rabbit and Quail Models, Journal of Chinese
Medicine, 1995, 30:656. |
|
2.
|
Kou
Zhirong, Lu Zongliang, et al, Clinical Effects of Xuezhikang
on Primary Hyperlipoidemia, Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine,
1997, 36:529. |
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