Yiqi Huoxue Tongbi Therapy for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Report of 40 Cases

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of the combination of Tangbi Decoction,a traditional Chinese medicine for invigorating qi,activating blood circulation and removing obstacles from the collaterals,and methylcobalamin for diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN).Methods Eighty patients with DPN were averagely randomized into two groups.Forty patients in the control group were treated with the basic therapies combined with intravenous drip of 100 ml Sodium Chloride Injection supplemented with 1.5 mg methylcobalamin once a day during two weeks,then orally taking 0.5 mg methylcobalamin three times a day during two weeks followed by another two weeks of intravenous drip treatment.Based on the control group's treatment,patients in treatment group were treated by orally taking Tangbi Decoction for a two-week treatment and resumed the next two-week decoction treatment after a five-day stop.Both groups undertook a three-month treatment.Results The total effective rate of the treatment group and the control group was 92.5% and 77.5%,respectively.There was significant difference in the total effective rate between the two groups(P0.05).After treatment,the conduction velocity of median nerve,common peroneal nerve,and tibial nerve was significantly improved in both groups compared with that before treatment(P0.01).Furthermore,the conduction velocity of above-mentioned three nerves in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P0.01).Conclusion Tangbi Decoction combined with methylcobalamin for DPN can promote the clinical efficacy by improving the conduction velocity of motor nerves.