OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Bushen Zhuanggu Granule (BZG) on the gonadal hormone, blood lipids, serum level of nitric oxide (NO) and free oxygen radical (FOR) in climacteric women.

METHODSClimacteric women were randomized according the digital table into the CM group (188 cases) and the WM group (189 cases). They were treated by BZG and Premarin plus Depogeston respectively for 2 years. The therapeutic effect on patients' symptoms and changes of blood lipids, gonadal hormones, NO, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonaldehyde (MDA) were observed.

RESULTSThere were 53 women in the CM group and 96 in the WM group dropping out in the 2-year follow-up period, the difference between them was significant (P < 0.01). The obvious and effective rates in the CM group were 36.30% (49/135), 82.96% (112/135), and in WM were 30.11% (28/93), 73.12% (68/93), the difference between the two group was significant (P < 0.05). The score of complaint was significantly lower in both groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the effect was more obvious in the CM group (P < 0.01). Effects on gonadal hormones and blood lipids were significantly improved in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05); comparison between groups showed the superiority of WM in increasing estrogen (P < 0.05), Blood levels of NO and SOD increased and MDA decreased in both groups after 1- and 2-year treatment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), showing no significant inter-group difference (P > 0.05). No evident adverse reaction was found in the routine tests on blood, urine and stool, hepatic and renal functions and electrocardiogram examined once every 6 months.

CONCLUSIONBZG can effectively restore the disordered indices of gonadal hormones, blood lipids, NO, and SOD in climacteric women, with the efficacy equivalent to the effect of hormone replacement therapy, but it is more safe and inexpensive.