Effect of Shenshao Tablet(参芍片) on the Quality of Life for Coronary Heart Disease Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris

Objective： To observe the effect of Chinese medicine Shenshao Tablet （参芍片, SST） on the quality of life in coronary heart disease （CHD） patients with stable angina pectoris （SAP）. Methods： Sixty-six patients with SAP confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled and assigned to two groups by means of PROC PLAN using a SAS 6.12 software in a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled design. Patients in the treated group were treated with SST, and the others in the control group were given placebo. The weekly angina frequency, quality of life scale [Seattle Angina Questionnaire （SAQ）] and incidence of important clinical events were observed to evaluate the intervention effect of SST on the quality of life for CHD patients with SAP. Results： During the study, one case dropped out in the treated group and two cases in the control group, respectively, and 63 cases including 32 cases in the treated group, and 31 cases in the control group completed the trial. After four weeks of treatment, the weekly angina frequency of the treated group （5.32± 2.46 times per week） was significantly less than that of the control group （7.32± 3.20 times per week, P 〈 0.05）. The total score of the quality of life in the treated group （71.30± 5.44） was obviously higher than that in the control group （63.50± 4.60, P 〈 0.01）, and the angina stability, angina frequency, and treatment satisfaction were significantly superior to those in the control group （P〈 0.01）. The incidence of important clinical events of the treated group （3.1%） was lower than that of the control group （6.5%） during the six-month follow-up period, but the difference was insignificant （P 〉 0.05）. Conclusion： SST could lower the angina frequency and greatly improve the quality of life in CHD patients with SAP.

Profiling and identification of chemical components of Shenshao Tablet and its absorbed components in rats by comprehensive HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS^n analysis

Shenshao Tablet(SST),prepared from Paeoniae Radix Alba(PRA)and total ginsenoside of Ginseng Stems and Leaves(GSL),is a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)preparation prescribed to treat coronary heart disease.However,its chemical composition and the components that can migrate into blood potentially exerting the therapeutic effects have rarely been elucidated.We developed an HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS^n approach aiming to comprehensively profile and identify both the chemical components of SST and its absorbed ingredients(and metabolites)in rat plasma and urine.Chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent Eclipse XDB C_(18) column using acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase.MS detection was conducted in both negative and positive ESI modes to yield more structure information.Comparison with reference compounds(t_R,MS^n),interpretation of the fragmentation pathways,and searching of in-house database,were utilized for more reliable structure elucidation.A total of 82 components,including 21monoterpene glycosides,four galloyl glucoses,two phenols from PRA,and 55 ginsenosides from GSL,were identified or tentatively characterized from the 70% ethanolic extract of SST.Amongst them,seven and 24 prototype compounds could be detectable in the plasma and urine samples,respectively,after oral administration of an SST extract(4 g×kg^(–1))in rats.No metabolites were observed in the rat samples.The findings of this work first unveiled the chemical complexity of SST and its absorbed components,which would be beneficial to understanding the therapeutic basis and quality control of SST.