Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Yiqi Jiedu Huxin decoction in treating acute viral myocarditis(VMC) with syndrome of pathogenic toxin invasion heart and observe its effects on levels of high mobility group box1 protein(HMGB1) and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB). Method: The 152 cases of acute VMC were randomly divided into control group(76 cases) and observation group(76 cases) according to random number table. All patients were treated with non-drug treatment such as staying in bed. Cases in control group were orally treated with Vitamin C tablets(200 mg/time and tid) and Q10 Tablets(1 tablet/time

tid). Based on the treatment in control group

patients in treatment group were given with Yiqi Jiedu Huxin decoction

1 dose/d and bid. The treatment course was four weeks for both groups. Scores of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) symptoms were graded before and after treatment

levels of creatine kinase(CK)

serum troponinI(cTnI)

creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB) were detected before and after treatment. Serum levels of HMGB1 and NF-κB were detected in two groups. Result: Total effective rate was 92.11% in observation group

higher than 80.26% in control group(P<0.05). After treatment

scores of palpitations

chest pain

fever

and sore throat in observation group were lower than those in control group(P<0.01)

the levels of CK

cTnI and CK-MB in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group(P<0.01). Serum levels of HMGB1 and NF-κB in observation group were lower than those in control group at week 2 and week 4 after treatment. Conclusion: Based on the conventional western medicine intervention

Yiqi Jiedu Huxin decoction in treating acute VMC with syndrome of pathogenic toxin invasion heart can obviously improve TCM symptoms

reduce the levels of myocardial enzyme

and increase clinical efficacy. Its mechanism may be associated with down-regulating serum levels of HMGB1 and NF-κB.