Effect of Shoushen granule on arterial elasticity in patients with carotid atherosclerosis: a clinical randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of Shoushen granule, Chinese herbal preparation, on carotid artery elasticity in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.

Methods: The total of 156 carotid atherosclerosis patients were randomly divided into the intervention group (83 cases, treated with Shoushen granule) and the control group (73 cases, treated with pravastatin). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity baPWV) and Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index (ABI) were measured by automated arteriosclerosis detector. The changes of common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and parameters of the carotid artery elasticity in patients, including stiffness parameter (β), pressure-strain elastic modulus (Ep), arterial compliance (Ac), augmentation index (AI), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were detected by Echo-Tracking (ET) technique before and after 24 week treatment. In the meantime, levels of blood lipid, and liver and renal function were measured respectively.

Results: After 24 weeks, baPWV, MT and parameters of the carotid artery elasticity (β, Ep, AI and PWVβ) were markedly decreased in intervention group compared with those of before treatment (P < 0.01), but the level of Ac was increased significantly (P < 0.01). And there were no significant differences compared with control group on the same period (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: In this pilot study, it was demonstrated ET technology and automated arteriosclerosis detector could be used to evaluate carotid artery elasticity effectively, and the action of Shoushen granule on carotid atherosclerosis might be related to the regulation of carotid artery elasticity.