OBJECTIVE:To compare the inhibition effect of Compound danshen tablets on platelet activation and that of Danshen tablets in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.METHODS:90 patients with coronary atherosclerosis were randomized into compound danshen tablet group,danshen tablet group and control group with treatment course of 2 months.30 cases were included into normal group.Radioimmunoassay and realtime RT-PCR were applied to detect mRNA expression of PTGIS,cAMP,TXA2 and PGI2 in plasma respectively and compared with control group.RESULTS:As compared with normal group,the mRNA expression of cAMP,PGI2,PTGIS were decreased markedly while expression of TXA2 was increased remarkably.In compound danshen tablets group and danshen tablets group the mRNA expression of cAMP,PGI2 and PTGIS were increased while the expression of TXA2 was decreased.The increase and decrease of mRNA expression in compound danshen tablets group was higher than that in danshen tablet group.CONCLUSION:Both of Compound danshen tablets and Danshen tablets could inhibit platelet activation and prevent acute coronary syndrome.The effect of Compound danshen tablets on inhibiting platelet activation is better than that of Danshen tablets.