The effects of modified wuhu zhuifeng san on the motor symptoms and serum IL-1β, Cys-C, and Hcy levels in elderly Parkinson's disease patients

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the effects of modified wuhu zhuifeng san on elderly Parkinson's disease patients in terms of their motor symptoms and serum interleukin-6 (IL-1 beta), cystatin-C (Cys-C) and homocysteine (Hcy) levels. Methods: 77 elderly patients with Parkinson's disease admitted to our hospital from February 2015 to August 2017 were divided into two groups according to the treatment methods they received. The patients in the control group (the CG, n=38) were given levodopa and benserazide tablets only, but those in the observation group (the OG, n=39) were managed with modified wuhu zhuifeng san in addition to levodopa and benserazide tablets as given in the CG. Before and after the treatment, these patients' TCM symptom scores, their clinical efficacy, their unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) scores, their serum IL-1 beta, Cys C, and Hcy levels, and their Parkinson's disease questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) scores were recorded. Results: (1) The OG showed lower TCM symptom scores than the CG (P<0.05). (2) The total efficiency was 94.87% in the OG (37/39), higher than the rate of 68.42% (28/38) in the CG (P<0.05). (3) The UPDRS II, UPDRS III, and UPDRS TV scores in the OG were lower than they were in the CG (P<0.05). (4) After the treatment, the IL-1 beta, Cys-C and Hcy levels in the CG were higher than they were in the OG (P<0.05). (5) Compared with the CG, the OG's PDQ-39 scores were significantly decreased after the treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion: Modified wuhu zhuifengsan is beneficial to elderly Parkinson's disease patients as it improves their motor symptoms, their IL-1 beta, Cys-C and Hcy serum levels, and their quality of life.