title: Clinical effect and action mechanism of Weicao Capsule in treating gout.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. songef@126.com
authors.forename: En-feng
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Kai-ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jia-cai
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mei-fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui-min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008055:Lipids; D011506:Proteins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; C531139:weicao; D014527:Uric Acid