This blog is to share the latest research and development of acupuncture and raise the awareness of alternative treatments for your conditions, and is for information only.

Friday, 17 February 2017

Dihuang Yinzi, a Chinese herbal formula improved amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – A case report of 12-year follow-up study

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

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