[Similarities and differences between Ginkgo biloba and Panax notoginseng in treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease].

Ginkgo biloba and Panax notoginseng are both herb medicines for cerebrovascular disease, and play an active role in treating ischemic cerebrovascular disease(ICVD). Their mechanisms of action include antioxidant stress, nerve protection, vascular protection. According to the comparative study of literatures, G. biloba has a certain protective effect from the early stage of free radical formation throughout the whole process of causing cell inflammation and apoptosis in antioxidant stress; while P. notoginseng has mainly anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis effects. In the nerve protection and repair of nerve damage caused by glutamate, both could promote neurogenesis, repair damaged axons and protect nerve cells. In addition, G. biloba could also relieve neurotoxicity caused by glutamate damage, while P. notoginseng have a unique effect in repairing blood-brain barrier(BBB) and blood vessel regeneration. In clinic, they are used as auxiliary drugs in combination with thrombolytic therapy, and play curative effects in alleviating inflammation, eliminating edema, improving the cure rate and the prognosis. For cerebral diseases caused by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, G. biloba could reduce inflammation and improve cognition. In addition, G. biloba could protect neurocyte by adjusting the secretion of dopamine in vivo, and has a certain effect on antidepressant diseases, which however needs further studies.

[Huang'e Capsules for BPH of the qi-deficiency blood-stasis and damp-heat stagnation type: An open-label single-arm multicenter phase-â £ clinical study].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Huang'e Capsules in the treatment of BPH of the qi-deficiency blood-stasis and damp-heat stagnation type under conditions of extensive use. METHODS: Totally, 605 male patients with BPH of the qi-deficiency blood-stasis and damp-heat stagnation type received oral Huang'e Capsules, tid, 4 capsules per time, for 42 days. We recorded the IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), mean urinary flow rate (Qave), quality of life (QOL) score, and prostate volume of the patients before and after medication. RESULTS: A total of 503 patients completed the whole trial. Compared with the baseline, the patients showed significant decreases after treatment in the IPSS (20.1 ± 5.5 vs 12.6 ± 5.0, P < 0.05), QOL score (4.19 ± 0.90 vs 2.50 ± 0.89, P < 0.05) and prostate volume (ï¼»36.6 ± 15.8ï¼½ vs ï¼»34.0 ± 17.6ï¼½ ml, P < 0.05), but remarkable increases in Qmax (ï¼»12.2 ± 5.8ï¼½ vs ï¼»14.2 ± 6.5ï¼½ ml/s, P < 0.05) and Qave (ï¼»5.91 ± 3.12ï¼½ vs ï¼»6.95 ± 3.45ï¼½ ml/s, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Huang'e Capsules had a good therapeutic effect on BPH of the qi-deficiency blood-stasis and damp-heat stagnation type.