Clinical and experimental study of effect of Raondix Salviae Militiorrhiza and other blood-activating and stasis-eliminating Chinese herbs on hemodynamics of portal hypertension

AIM To study the effects of Radix Salviae Militiorrhiza (RSM), other blood-activating and stasis-eliminating Chinese herbs on hemodynamics of portal hypertension. METHODS Portal pressure of cirrhotic dogs after chronic common bile duct ligation was measured directly; portal blood flow in patients with liver cirrhosis were detected by ultrasound Doppler. RESULTS After administration of RSM and Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS) by intravenous infusion in cirrhotic dogs, the portal venous pressure (Ppv), wedge hepatic venous pressure (WHVP), hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), were significantly decreased (P<0.05-0.01), but the mean arterial pressure (MAP), and the heart rate (HR) remained unchanged. When nifedipine was used, Ppv, WHVP, MAP and HR were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the HVPG unchanged (P>0.05). After administration of RSM, RSM + nifedipine and RSM + leech + Nifedipine for 10-12 weeks, the diameter of portal vein (Dpv), splenic vein (Dsv), the portal venous flow (Qpv) and splenic venous flow (Qsv) in patients with hepatic cirrhosis were significantly lowered (P<0.05-0.01), and the effect-of RAS was weaker. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of decreasing Ppv by Chinese herbs-RSM, RAS, etc. as compared with nifedipine, demonstrated that the Chinese herbs were slower in action than that of nifedipine, but more long-lasting and without side effects. Hence, long-term administration of Chinese herbs, would be more beneficial.