OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect of Compound Paeonol Dripping Pill (CPDP) and its effect on the levels of plasma inflammatory mediators, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1).

METHODSNinety patients with unstable angina were randomized by enveloping method into 3 groups equally, the conventional Western therapy group (A), the CPDP group (B), and the Tongxinluo group (C). The improvement of angina pectoris symptoms and electrocardiogram (ECG) was observed after 2 weeks of treatment and the levels of plasma CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and MCP-1 were measured before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in improving angina pectoris was 93.3% in Group B, significantly higher than that in Group A (73.3%, P <0.01) and Group C (76.7%, P <0.05), while no significant difference of ECG improvement rate was found between the three groups (P >0.05). Plasma total cholesterol and inflammation indexes were significantly lowered after treatment in Group B (P <0.05), showing a significant difference to those in the other two groups (P <0.05), but the indexes were unchanged in the other two groups (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONEffect of CPDP is better in relieving symptoms, depressing inflammatory reaction for treatment of unstable angina patients than that of Tonxinluo Capsule and conventional Western treatment.