Danqi Piantang Jiaonang (DJ), a traditional Chinese medicine, in poststroke recovery.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Despite improvements in acute stroke treatment, many patients only make a partial or poor recovery. Therefore, there is a need for treatments that would further improve outcome. Danqi Piantang Jiaonang (DJ; NeuroAid), a traditional Chinese medicine widely used in China to improve recovery after stroke, has been compared with another traditional Chinese medicine in 2 unpublished randomized clinical trials. The results of these studies were pooled and reanalyzed to assess efficacy and safety.

METHODS:

Six hundred five subjects were randomized in 2 randomized double-blinded, controlled trials to receive either DJ or Buchang Naoxintong Jiaonang. Subjects were treated for 1 month. Inclusion criteria were: (1) patients with recent (from 10 days to 6 months) ischemic stroke; (2) patients satisfying Western diagnostic standards for stroke and traditional Chinese medicine standards for diagnosis of apoplexy; and (3) Diagnostic Therapeutic Effects of Apoplexy score >/=10.

RESULTS:

The functional outcome, measured by the Comprehensive Function Score component of the Diagnostic Therapeutic Effects of Apoplexy scale, showed a statistically significant superiority of DJ over the control treatment group (relative risk, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.28 to 4.51; P=0.007). Tolerance was excellent in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

The pooled analysis of 2 unpublished trials of DJ, a traditional Chinese medicine currently approved in China to improve neurological recovery after stroke, shows good tolerability and superiority of DJ over another traditional Chinese medicine also approved for stroke. A large double-blind randomized clinical trial is required to further assess the safety and efficacy of DJ.

• Authors: Christopher Chen, N Venketasubramanian, Robert N Gan, Caroline Lambert, David Picard, Bernard P L Chan, Edwin Chan, Marie G Bousser, Shi Xuemin
• Journal: Stroke (Stroke) Vol. 40 Issue 3 Pg. 859-63 (Mar 2009) ISSN: 1524-4628 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19164787 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• danqi piantang jiaonang

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Double-Blind Method
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional
• Middle Aged
• Motor Skills
• Recovery of Function
• Stroke (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Treatment Outcome