A woman patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
was treated with Dihuang Yinzi, a Chinese herbal formula for 12-year still does
not require permanent continuous ventilator and showed improvement in chocking
on liquids and muscle twitching of limbs. The study was published in journal of
Medicine.
A 41-year-old Chinese woman patient with complaints of
weakened bilateral grip, slurred speech, stumbling, and muscle twitching for 3
years, and neurogenic injury in bilateral upper limbs and tongue shown by
subsequent electromyography, was diagnosed with ALS. She was treated with
Riluzole 100 mg daily for 10 months and stopped. Then, she was administered
with Dihuang Yigzi (DHYZ) for the period of 12-year. During the 12 years, DHYZ was
modified according to the changes in accompanied syndrome or symptoms. The patient
survived with ALS up to now, and does not require permanent continuous
ventilator support. The symptoms of choking on liquids were improved and the
utility of 30 mL water swallow test was improved with grade 2. The symptoms of
muscle twitching of limbs were also reduced. No obvious adverse effect was
observed during 12-year treatment and follow-up. However, muscle strength
worsened slowly.
Authors suggested that DHYZ can be a potential candidate
for treating patients with ALS because it exerts multi-targeted neuroprotection
and is a general safe herbal formula. Further rigorous randomized controlled
trials are needed to confirm the results of the study.
Reference
Qiu H et al., Dihuang
Yinzi, a Classical Chinese Herbal Prescription, for Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis: A 12-Year Follow-up Case Report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016
Apr;95(14):e3324.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27057909
