OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Dandi Tablet (DDT), a TCM preparation for tonifying Shen and activating blood circulation, on blood lipids and sex hormones in women of postmenopausal stage.

METHODSSeventy-three women were randomly divided into two groups. The 46 subjects in the DDT group were treated with DDT (consisted of prepared Rehmannia Root 24 g, Dogwood Fruit 9 g, Poria 9 g, Water-plantain 9 g, Tuber Peony bark 9 g, Chinese Yam 12 g and Red Sage 15 g, etc.) twice a day, 4 tablets each time. The 27 subjects in the control group were treated with nylestriol (each tablet contains 2.5 mg of 17 alpha-ethynylestriol-3-cyclopentyl ether) 5 mg every month, for 3 successive months. Levels of blood lipids, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, LDL-C), apoprotein A and B (apoA, apoB) and sex hormones, including follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) were determined before and after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with pre-treatment, after treatment, levels of TC/HDL-C and FSH significantly lowered, HDL-C and E2 increased in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), levels of TG lowered and apoA increased significantly in the DDT group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDDT has the effect of elevating levels of estrogen and improving blood lipid metabolism, therefore shows a coronary heart disease preventive effect in women of postmenopausal stage.