OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of tongluo yangyin recipe (TLYYR) in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

METHODSNinety-nine patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 were assigned, according to the order of their visit, to two groups: 61 in the treated group and 38 in the control group. They were given the same information about diabetes mellitus and treated with the same therapy: strict diet control and Western drugs for hypoglycemia. In addition, the treated group received one dose (200 mL) of TLYYR in water decoction every day in two portions, while the control group had vitamin B1 100 mg and vitamin B12 250 microg administered daily via intramuscular injection. The course for all patients was 28 days.

RESULTSThe treated group experienced a therapeutic effect superior to that of the control group, with the difference between the total effective rates and the markedly effective rates (P<0.05, P<0.01). The blood levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) fell, the hemorrheological manner improved, the transmission velocity of the median nerve and common peroneal nerve significantly increased in the treated group after treatment (P<0.05), although the treatment showed no significant influence on blood glucose level (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTLYYR could promote blood microcirculation, improve nutritional metabolism of peripheral nerve, and thus accelerating DPN repair.