Objective: To observe the effect of Yishen Huoxue herbs combined losartan on endogenous hydrogen sulfide and inflammatory cytokines in patients with maintenance hemodialysis. Method: Ninety patients with maintenance hemodialysis were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups (Yishen Huoxue herbs group

losartan group and Yishen Huoxue herbs combined losartan group). The endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of brachial artery was determined using ultrasound

and the levels of total cholesterol (TC)

triglyceride (TC)

low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)

homocysteine (Hcy)

high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)

hydrogen sulfide (H2S)

sulfhemoglobin (SHb)

endothelin-1 (ET-1)

nitric oxide (NO)

tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)

interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured before and after treatment. Result: After treatment

all patients in the combination group showed that the TC (3.68±0.85) mmol · L-1

LDL-C (2.07±1.61) mmol · L-1

Hcy (31.76±17.23) μmol · L-1 was decreased than before [(5.29±1.28) mmol · L-1

(3.45±1.84) mmol · L-1

(35.97±18.23) μmol · L-1

respectively] (P<0.05);the ET-1 (20.77±10.01)pg · mmol-1

TNF-α (39.6±6.53) ng · L-1

IL-6 (37.6±3.51) ng · L-1 was decreased than before [(25.39±14.26) ng · mol-1

(42.4±7.61)ng · L-1

(40.6±4.62) ng · L-1

respectively] (P<0.01). The FMD in the combination group was increased [(10.05±3.56)% vs (6.67±1.94)%] (P<0.01) after treatment. Conclusion: The treatment of combination Yishen Huoxue herbs and losartan could improve the recovery of vascular endothelial function in patients with maintenance hemodialysis effectively.