Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of treating depressive patients with somatic symptoms with combined TCM and western medicine.Methods 69 patients were randomly divided into 2 groups:a combined therapy group (treated with Yangyin-Qinggan decoction and paroxetine) and mono-therapy (treated with paroxetine alone as an active control),The depressive and somatic symptoms were assessed before (0 week),during (2 weeks and 4 weeks) and at the end point (8 weeks) of the treatment.Results ①Both therapies alleviated the depressive symptoms:HAMD assessed among patients receiving combined therapy are listed as:(0 week:19.29±2.38),(2 weeks:17.38 ± 2.37),(4 weeks:15.27 ± 2.15),(8 weeks:13.35 ± 2.09) ;combined therapy started to ease the depressive symptoms after 2 weeks of treatment (2 week compared with 0weeks),similar improvements could also be noticed after 4 weeks of treatment 4 weeks with 2 weeks:P＜0.05)and at the end of this research (after 8 weeks of treatment:8 weeks with 4 weeks:P＜0.05).HAMD for mono-therapy are as:(0 week:18.69±3.03),(2 weeks:16.63±3.09),(4 weeks:15.20±2.95),(8 weeks:14.60±2.72) ; mono-therapy started to alleviate the depressive symptoms also,after 2 weeks of treatment (2 weeks compared with 0 week:P＜0.05),yet only slight improvements could be seen after 4 weeks (4 weeks with 2 weeks:P＞0.05) and 8 weeks of the treatment (8 weeks with 4 weeks:P＞0.05).The combined therapy turned to be more effective in alleviating depressive symptoms at the end point of the treatment (P＜0.05).②In terms of improving the somatic symptoms,the Somatization Symptom Scale (SSS) among patients with combined therapy were as follows:(0 week:48.74±4.07),(2 weeks:46.74±4.16),(4 weeks:43.74±3.77),(8 weeks:41.18 ± 3.50) ; Combined therapy was witnessed to start to ease those symptoms after 2 weeks o f treatment (2week compared with 0 weeks,P＜0.05),similar patterns were found again,after 4 weeks (4 weeks with 2 weeks:P＜0.05) and 8 weeks of the treatment (8 weeks with 4 weeks:P＜0.05).Mono-therapy was found to ease the somatic symptoms in a less-effective way,yet no difference was found between any two SSS after 2 weeks,4weeks or 8 weeks of treatment (P＞0.05,respectively).Combined therapy was better at improving the somatic symptoms (P＜ 0.01).Conclusion Combined therapy proved to be more effective in both relieving depression and somatic symptoms.

Objective To observe the efficacy and side effects of Jianpi Qutan Decoction combined with Quetiapine in the treatment negative symptoms of schizophrenia.Methods 60 inpatients with schizophrenia were randomly divided into two groups,with one group treated with Jianpi Qutan Decoction combined Quetiapine and the other group treated with Quetiapine.Effects and side effects were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale (TESS) respectively 1,4 and 8 weeks before and after the treatment.Results There was no significant difference in the overall efficacy between the two groups,but the improvement of the negative symptoms and illness provocation was significantly better in the treatment group than that in the control group respectively (P＜0.05).Moreover,the adverse reaction was milder in the treatment group.Conclusion It is suggested Jianpi Qutan Decoction in combination with typical antipsychotics is effective and safe in treating negative symptoms in schizophrenia patients.