title: [Clinical study on treatment of recurrent genital herpes by Huangqi Fuzheng Decoction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the clinical efficacy of Huangqi Fuzheng Decoction (HQFZD) in treating recurrent genital herpes (RGH) and its influence on related cytokines in peripheral blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four patients with RGH were randomly assigned to 3 groups, the treated group treated with HQFZD (31 cases), the control group A (25 cases) treated with Aciclovir, and the control group B (28 cases) treated with Aciclovir plus interferon. The course of treatment was 3 weeks for all. The relapse rate was estimated at 6 months after treatment, and levels of IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-18 in all patients were detected before and after treatment using double-sandwich ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were cured after treatment. The relapse rate in the treated group and the control group B was lower than that in the control group A (P < 0.01) but insignificant difference was shown between the former two groups. Before treatment, patients' serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher while those of IL-12 and IL-18 were lower than the normal range (P < 0.01). The abnormal change aforementioned reversed after treatment in the treated group and the control group B (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), showing a superior effect to that in the control group A (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HQFZD can reduce the relapse rate of RGH without obvious adverse reaction, and it could also enhance the immunity of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan.
authors.forename: Yong-Jian
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xi-Xian
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Chun-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012008:Recurrence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020382:Interleukin-18; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4