OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of polymorphonuclear leucocyte adhesive molecules CD11b/CD18 and to study the possible mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) for activating blood circulation to remove stasis in preventing vascular diseases.

METHODSForty-nine patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) but with no complications of hypertension and nephropathy were randomly divided into the treated group (26 patients treated by TCM) and the control group (23 patients treated by conventional treatment). They were treated for 3 months. The changes of urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), CD11b/CD18 expression and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTSThe CD11b/CD18 expression and TNF-alpha concentration in DM patients were higher than those of normal range (P < 0.01). After treatment, the UAER, CD11b/CD18 expression and TNF-alpha concentration lowered significantly in the treated group (P < 0.01), but unchanged in the control group. Correlation analysis showed that the lowering of UAER was positively correlated with decreasing of CD11b/CD18 (r = 0.64, P < 0.01) and TNF-alpha (r = 0.56, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONExpression of CD11b/CD18 increases in patients with DM type 2. The mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine for activating blood circulation to remove stasis in preventing vascular disease in possibly related with its effect in inhibiting CD11b/CD18 expression.