Danqi Piantan Jiaonang does not modify hemostasis, hematology, and biochemistry in normal subjects and stroke patients.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies on Danqi Piantan Jiaonang (DPJ, NeuroAid), a traditional Chinese medicine, in stroke patients showed promising results. Our aim was to determine the safety of DPJ in normal subjects and stroke patients through a series of studies assessing its immediate and long-term effects, alone and in combination with aspirin, on hematological, hemostatic, and biochemical parameters.


METHODS
We conducted 3 studies from December 2004 to May 2006. Study 1 was a case series which recruited 32 healthy volunteers who were given 2 oral doses of 4 DPJ capsules (0.4 g/capsule) 6 h apart. Study 2 was a randomized controlled trial of 22 healthy volunteers who received either 1 oral dose of aspirin 300 mg alone or a combination of 1 dose of aspirin 300 mg and 2 doses of 4 DPJ capsules taken 6 h apart. For both studies 1 and 2, hemostatic parameters (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, platelet aggregation, D-dimer) were tested at baseline, and after 2 and 8 h. Study 3 was a case series which recruited 10 patients with recent ischemic stroke (within 7 days) who were given 4 DPJ capsules taken orally 3 times a day for 1 month. Blood tests for hemostatic, hematological (complete blood count), and biochemical parameters (glucose, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, C-reactive protein) were performed at baseline, and after 1 and 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Apart from the expected changes in platelet aggregation in subjects taking aspirin, no significant differences were detected in hemostatic parameters at baseline, and 2 and 8 h after oral intake of DPJ alone or in combination with aspirin. Likewise, no significant differences were observed in hematological, hemostatic, and biochemical parameters at baseline, and after 1 and 4 weeks of oral intake of DPJ.


CONCLUSIONS
DPJ does not significantly modify hematological, hemostatic, and biochemical parameters in normal subjects and stroke patients.
Gan
Robert
R
Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore. robert_gan@nni.com.sg
Lambert
Caroline
C
Lianting
Jiao
J
Chan
Edwin S Y
ES
Venketasubramanian
N
N
Chen
Christopher
C
Chan
Bernard P L
BP
Samama
Michel Meyer
MM
Bousser
Marie Germaine
MG
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002214:Capsules; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*
D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin