BACKGROUND

The main clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) are resting tremor, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia, and so on. There is no effective treatment for PD yet, and dyskinesia symptoms affect the life qualities of PD patients. The therapy used for reinforcing kidney and activating blood circulation in treatment of PD can achieve good clinical effects.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Bushen Huoxue Granule (BSHXG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for reinforcing kidney and activating blood circulation in treatment of PD.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was undertaken. A total of 120 PD patients from Outpatient Department of General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Xijing Hospital and Tangdu Hospital in Xi'an, were randomly divided into BSHXG group and placebo group. There were 55 cases in BSHXG group, for 5 cases lost to follow-up, and 51 cases in placebo group, for 1 case was excluded and 8 cases lost to follow-up. The patients in two groups were all treated for three months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The movement scale, exercise testing, and muscle tension were observed before and after treatment to make a comprehensive evaluation for clinical efficacy. One month follow-up was also made.

RESULTS

At three different times (one, two and three months) after treatment, the score of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III, rise time of 10-meter back and forth exercise and resting muscle tension in BSHXG group were improved as compared with before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01), and there was an interaction between treatment time and intervention (P<0.05, P<0.01). There were no differences in evaluation results of chronograph movement (times of left and right hand movement in one minute), and walking time and turn around time of 10-meter back and forth exercise between BSHXG group and placebo group, and no interaction existed between treatment time and intervention. BSHXG showed a better efficacy than the placebo (P<0.01) in improving motor function, shortening rise time of 10-meter back and forth test and relieving muscle tension. No adverse effects were found in this trial.

CONCLUSION

BSHXG plus Western medicine is effective and safe in improving motor dysfunction of PD patients.