Shenfu decoction as adjuvant therapy for improving quality of life and hepatic dysfunction in patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Shenfu decoction (SFD) is a water extract of the dried root or root stalk of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey (Asian ginseng) and the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaeli Debx (prepared by Fuzi, Heishunpian in Chinese). It has been used to treat heart failure for over a thousand years. The main active components of SFD, ginsenosides and higenamine, enhance heart contractility, increase the coronary blood supply, improve ischemic myocardial metabolism, scavenge free radicals and protect myocardial ultrastructure.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

To investigate the effect of SFD on quality of life (QOL) and hepatic function in symptomatic chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Forty patients enrolled in the study were randomized into two groups: an SFD group (18 cases) and a control group (22 cases). All the patients received standard heart failure therapy, and the SFD group patients were also treated with Shenfu granules for 14 days as an adjunctive therapy. The effects of SFD on QOL, plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, cardiac function, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level were studied. ALT threshold in hepatic injury are 21U/L for men and 17U/L for women.

RESULTS:

Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) scores were improved by 35.27±10.72 vs. 23.87±11.96 in the SFD and control groups respectively (p<0.01). Subgroup analysis of the MLHFQ results demonstrated that both physical and emotional scores were significantly higher in the SFD group (21.00±5.66 vs. 16.75±6.25, p<0.05; 4.64±4.84 vs. 1.13±2.85, p<0.05). Circulating ALT was significantly decreased by SFD (13.3IU/L vs. 0.6IU/L, p<0.01). The grading of cardiac function and LVEF were increased by 1.6±0.5 vs. 1.1±0.3 and 18%±13% vs. 8%±8% in the SFD and control groups respectively (p<0.05 and p<0.05). The level of TNF-α declined more in SFD than control group (64.8±5.0 to 57.6±4.1, p<0.05; vs. 61.6±5.9 vs. 57.7±3.2. p>0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Compared with standard heart failure treatment, oral SFD as an adjuvant therapy significantly improved QOL and hepatic injury in CHF patients.

• Authors: Huamin Wei, Hongjin Wu, Wen Yu, Xu Yan, Xiaoyu Zhang
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 169 Pg. 347-55 (Jul 01 2015) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 25937255 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Ginsenosides
• Shen-Fu
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Alanine Transaminase

Topics

• Aconitum (chemistry)
• Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic (adverse effects, chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Aged
• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Blood Pressure (drug effects)
• Chronic Disease
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (adverse effects, chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Ginsenosides (analysis, chemistry)
• Heart Failure (blood, complications, drug therapy)
• Heart Rate (drug effects)
• Humans
• Liver (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Liver Diseases (complications, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Male
• Molecular Structure
• Quality of Life
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (blood)
• Ventricular Function, Left (drug effects)