Effect of Yiqi Huoxue（益气活血） Herbs on Vascular Endothelial Cells and Platelets in Patients with Chronic Cor Pulmonale

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of Yiqi Huoxue (益气活血, YQHX) herbs in treating the patients with chronic cor pulmonale and to explore its mechanism by determining the relationship of oxidation/antioxidation system and how such herbs change on the function of endothelial cells and platelets. Methods: Fifty-eight patients were divided into two groups: conventional therapy group (control group, 28 paventional management. The treated group were treated with YQHX 150 ml, twice a day, plus the conventional treatment, and the clinical efficacy was recorded. The lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), α-granule membrane protein (GMP140), partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide in artery (PaCO2) and circulating endothelial cells (CEC) were measured respectively before and after treatment, and the relationship between various parameters were analyzed. The results were compared with those of 10 healthy subjects got at the same period. Results: (1) The effective rate and PaO2 of the treated group was higher than that of the control group and there were no difference in PaCO2 between the two groups. (2) The levels of LPO, GMP140, CEC in all the patients before therapy were significantly higher than those of the healthy group, and there were marked decrease in the levels of those after treatment (all P＜0. 01). On the contrary, the levels of SOD in all the patients before therapy were markedly lower than those in the healthy subjects and increased after treatment, P＜0.01. (3) The increase of SOD in the treated group was significantly more obvious than that of the control group. In the treated group, the decrease of LPO, GMP140, CEC were markedly more obvious than those in the control group (all P＜0.01).(4) The number of CEC, as well as GMP140, was negatively correlated to PaO2 (P＜0.01) and SOD (P＜0.01), which was positively correlated to LPO (P＜0.01). There was a positive correlation between CEC and GMP140 (P＜0.05). Conclusion: YQHX herbs in treating chronic cor pulmonale proved to be effective by balancing the oxidation and antioxidation, protecting the pulmonary endothelial cells and activated platelets and helpful in treating respiratory failure.