Effect of treatment of rosacea in females by Chibixiao Recipe in combination with minocycline and spironolactone.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the clinical efficacy of Chibixiao Recipe (CBX) in combination with minocycline and spironolactone in treating rosacea in females.


METHODS
Sixty-eight women with rosacea were randomly assigned to the treated group (48 cases) and the control group (20 cases), both of which were treated with minocycline and spironolactone taken orally, but to the treated group, the Chinese herbal recipe, CBX was given additionally. Besides, cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen was applied to those with apparent capillary dilatation. The therapeutic course for both groups was 8 weeks. The levels of serum testosterone before and after treatment were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and a 4-month follow-up was conducted.


RESULTS
In the treated group the cure-markedly effective rate was 87.5% and the recurrent rate was 6.5%, while in the control group, they were 45.0% and 41.2% respectively. Comparisons in the indexes between the two groups all showed significant difference (both P<0.01), with the cure-markedly effective rate higher, and the recurrent rate lower in the treated group. The serum level of testosterone got lowered in both groups ( P<0.05 and P<0.01), but the lowering in the treated group was more significant, showing significance when compared with that in the control group ( P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
CBX in combination with Western medicine has effect in treating rosacea superior to that of Western medicine alone, and could effectively reduce recurrent rate and the serum level of testosterone. female rosacea, testosterone, Chibixiao Recipe, minocycline, spironolactone
Yu
Tu-gen
TG
Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou (310006). ytg5656@163.com
Zheng
Yi-zhi
YZ
Zhu
Jin-tu
JT
Guo
Wen
W
D000328:Adult; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D008911:Minocycline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012008:Recurrence; D012393:Rosacea / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013148:Spironolactone; D013739:Testosterone; D008911:Minocycline