OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of puerarin in improving the insulin resistance (IR) and its closely related abnormal lipid and fibrinolytic activity in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODSSeventy-six patients with CHD were randomly divided into two groups, 40 in the puerarin group and 36 in the routine treated group. Puerarin 500 mg was given to the former in addition to routine therapy by adding to 250 ml of normal saline for intravenous dripping once a day with a therapeutic course of 3 weeks. The changes of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting plasma insulin (FINS), plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C & HDL-C) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity were measured before and after treatment, and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) calculated. At the same time, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) activity before and during venous occlusion test (VOT) was tested. Besides, 30 healthy subjects were taken as control.

RESULTSIn CHD patients, FINS, TC, TG, LDL-C and PAI-1 levels were higher and ISI, HDL-C and tPA before and during VOT were lower than those in the healthy controls. FINS and ISI correlated well with lipids and fibrinolytic abnormality. After puerarin treatment, FINS level lowered and ISI increased significantly (P < 0.01), while comparing with the routine group, TC, TG, LDL-C and PAI-1 were lower but HDL-C and tPA activity before and during VOT were higher in the puerarin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Correlation analysis showed that FINS was positively correlated with TC, TG, LDL-C and PAI-1 and negatively correlated with HDL-C, tPA before and during VOT; ISI was negatively correlated with TC, TG, LDL-C and PAI-1 and positively correlated with HDL-C and tPA before and during VOT in the puerarin group.

CONCLUSIONPuerarin could improve the IR, IR related lipid and fibrinolytic activity abnormality in CHD patients.