Mechanism and effect of Tangzu Heji on diabetic foot rat with blood stasis syndrome.

Objective: To observe the effect on Tangzu Heji on diabetic foot rat with blood stasis syndrome and to investigate the mechanism in it. Methods: Combination of streptozocin injection and reduction of ambient temperature was used to duplicate diabetic foot rat with blood stasis syndrome. 60 Male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups as normal control group, the low temperature control group, diabetic foot group (model group), three groups of Tangzu Heji treatment with high, medium and low dose respectively. In the first three groups the rats were given normal saline, and in the latter three treatment groups the model rats were given Tangzu Heji as 60gkg, 30g/kg, 15g/kg weight, respectively. After two weeks of treatment, the changes of the weight, water intake, blood glucose, blood rheology, acral gangrene symptoms, Choroid blood vessels of the sublingual and ear, serum vascular endothelial growth factor changes were observed. Results: After two weeks of treatment with Tangzu Heji, compared with the model group, a marked increase in body weight, decrease of water intake were happened to the rats in treatment groups. Erythrocyte aggregation index in the low-dose treatment group decreased significantly (P0.05). Fasting blood glucose, high, middle and low shear whole blood viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation index and acral gangrene symptom score in the high-dose and middle-dose treatment groups decreased significantly (P0.01), serum vascular endothelial growth factor concentration significantly increased (P0.01). Compared with pre-treatment, water intake decreased significantly (P0.05), fasting blood glucose and acral gangrene symptom score decreased significantly (P0.01), body weight of the rats in high-dose treatment group significantly increased (P0.05). Conclusion: Tangzu Heji had treatment effect on diabetic foot rat with blood stasis syndrome. Tangzu Heji may block the development process of diabetic foot through decreasing the blood glucose, and promoting angiogenesis around the collateral vessels, increasing blood supply and improving the ulcer healing by decreasing the blood rheology parameters, enhancing blood circulation and increasing the level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor.