The effect of Bushen-Tongmai decoction on plasma renin activity, plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide and angiotensin II in patients with chronic heart failure

Objective To investigate the effect of Bushen-Tongmai decoction on plasma renin activity （PRA）, plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide （BNP） and angiotensinⅡ（AngⅡ） in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods A total of 100 patients with chronic heart failure from January 2011 to December 2013 were randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, with 50 patients in each group. The patients in the control and treatment groups received conventional treatment and Bushen-Tongmai decoction plus conventional treatment for 8 weeks, respectively. Laboratory measurements including PRA, BNP and AngⅡwere performed before and after treatment.Cardiac function was measured before and after treatment with echocardiography. Results The PRA , plasma levels of BNP and AngⅡ after treatment in the treatment group were significantly decreased than before treatment （treatment group：t=2.990, 4.030, 4.401, all P〈0.01）;after treatment, there was significant difference in PRA, BNP and AngⅡbetween the treatment group and the control group（t=2.622, 2.863, 3.809, all P〈0.05）. Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD）, left ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVESD） and left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） by echocardiography in both groups were significantly improved （treatment group：t=9.167, 11.030, 13.273, all P\u003c0.01;control group：t=5.189, 7.626, 6.906, all P〈0.01）. Improvements of LVESD, LVEDD and LVEF in the treatment group were grater than those in the control group （t=4.037, 2.701, 7.458, all P〈0.01）. Conclusion Bushen-Tongmai decoction can effectively decrease PRA , plasma levels of BNP, AngⅡ, and improve cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure.\r\n\r\nKey words: \r\nBushen-Tongmai decoction; Heart failure; Renin; Natriuretic peptide,Brain; Angiotensin Ⅱ; Echocardiography