Effect of Danzhijiangtang capsule on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA expression in newly diagnosed diabetes subclinical vascular lesions

AIM: To investigate the effect of Danzhijiangtang capsule (DJC) on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subclinical vascular lesions. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with newly diagnosed T2DM subclinical vascular lesions were randomly divided into a control group and treatment group of 31 cases each. Oral antidiabetic therapy with routine western medicine was conducted in both groups, and the treatment group was additionally treated with DJCs. The treatment course for both groups was 12 wk. Before and after treatment, the total efficiency and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score were calculated. The fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h plasma glucose (2hPG), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin resistance index (IRI), hemoglobin (Hb)A1c, blood lipids, and hemorheology indices were determined. In addition, the levels of vascular endothelial growth factors including thrombomodulin (TM), von Willebrand factor (vWF), P-selectin and MCP-1 mRNA were determined. RESULTS: After 12 wk of treatment, the TCM syndrome score was significantly decreased compared to before treatment in both groups. After treatment, FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c, FINS, IRI, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, whole blood low shear specific viscosity, plasma specific viscosity, TM, vWF, P-selectin and MCP-1 mRNA were significantly improved compared to before treatment in both groups. After treatment, the total efficiency and TCM syndrome score in the treatment group were better than in the control group. FINS, IRI, whole blood high shear specific viscosity, plasma specific viscosity, TM, vWF, P-selectin and MCP-1 mRNA level in the treatment group were significantly reduced after treatment compared with control group. CONCLUSION: DJCs are efficacious in supplementing qi, nourishing yin and invigorating blood circulation, and upregulate MCP-1 mRNA expression in patients with T2DM subclinical vascular lesions.