Objective: To observe the effects of Fangji Huangqi tang on arterial blood-gas analysis and cytokines of patients undergoing one-lung ventilation. Method: Forty-six patients with esophageal cancer undergoing open thoracic operation

American standards association(ASA) level Ⅰ-Ⅱ

were randomLy divided into two groups (n=23 ). Group B

the control group

were given routine treatment

while group A were given the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) intervention in addition

by taking Fangji Huangqi tang in 7 days preoperational orally. 3 mL peripheral blood samples were taken from the radial artery while bilateral-lungs ventilation after anesthesia induction (T1)

60 mins after one lung ventialation(OLV) (T2)

120 mins after OLV (T3) and 120 mins after the operation (T4) for PaO2

SpO2 and assay of plasma superoxide dismutase(SOD)

malondialdehyde(MDA) and pdymorphonuclears(PMN) value. Result: PaO2 and SpO2 of group A were significantly higher than group B when T2

T3 and T4 (P<0.01). After anesthesia

the SOD values decreased while the MDA and PMN values increased in both two groups. In T1

T2

T3 and T4 periods

the decline of SOD value in group A was significantly less than that of group B (P<0.01); while in T2

T3

T4 periods

the increase of MDA value in group A was significantly less than that of the control group(P<0.01); while in T1

T2

T3 and T4 periods

the increase of PMN value in group A was significantly less than that of the control group(P<0.01). Conclusion: The TCM intervention of Fangji Huangqi tang can effectively protect the lung function from the damages caused by OLV and ischemia reperfusion injury lung (LIRI).