Clinical effect and action mechanism of Weicao Capsule in treating gout.
OBJECTIVE
To study the therapeutic effect of Weicao Capsule (WCC) on gout.


METHODS
Two hundred gout patients were assigned to two groups. The treated group was treated with WCC and the control group was treated with Tongfengding Capsule. Both groups were given the respective treatments orally 3 times a day, 2 capsules each time with 2 weeks as one course and all patients received 2 successive courses of treatment. Changes of blood beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)-M), hemoglobin (Hb), 24 h urinary protein (24 h UP), pH value of urine and blood uric acid (BUA) as well as kidney function were observed.


RESULTS
After treatment, level of beta(2)-M got lowered significantly, Hb and 24 h UP, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and the clearance rate of creatinine, as well as blood lipids all improved obviously in the treated group (all P<0.01), while these parameters remained unchanged in the control group (P>0.05). The pH value of urine was improved in both groups showing an insignificant difference between them (P>0.05). BUA was decreased in both groups with a decrease to a larger extent in the treated group (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 87% in the treated group, which was superior to that in the control group (62%, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
WCC has a favorable therapeutic effect on gout and its mechanism of action for improving renal function and reducing urinary protein could be related with the lowering of blood beta(2)-M, BUA and lipids.
Song
En-feng
EF
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. songef@126.com
Xiang
Qiong
Q
Ren
Kai-ming
KM
Hu
Jia-cai
JC
Wu
Fan
F
Gong
Mei-fang
MF
Zhang
Hong
H
Bi
Hui-min
HM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood
D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008055:Lipids; D011506:Proteins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; C531139:weicao; D014527:Uric Acid