title: Radix/rhizoma notoginseng extract (sanchitongtshu) for ischemic stroke: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: Agents of sanchi have been widely used as a complementary medicine for stroke in China. Sanchitongshu is a new Chinese patent medicine extracted from sanchi which has stronger anti-platelet activity than other agents of sanchi. Our aim was to investigate the synergistic action of low dose of aspirin combined with sanchitongshu capsule in the treatment of patients with light and moderate ischemic stroke in acute and subacute stages. This was a multi-center, double-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in four hospitals in China from July 2004 to 2006. 140 patients of ischemic stroke in anterior cerebral circulation within 30 days of onset were enrolled. Participants were assigned either to receive aspirin (50mg per day) and sanchitongshu capsule (200mg three times a day) or aspirin (50mg per day) and placebo capsule. Low dose of aspirin combined with sanchitongshu capsule significantly ameliorated neurological deficit (increased score of ESS: t=-5.02, p<0.0001) and activities of daily living (increased score of BI: t=-2.4, p=0.0178) after treatment compared with aspirin alone. Adverse reaction which occurred equally in both arms, was light to moderate and disappeared without special treatment. Sanchitongshu capsule, as a complementary medicine to aspirin, was effective in improving outcomes after ischemic stroke. It was a safe drug in our trial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Muke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Dongping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D027343:Rhizome; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin