Objective: To investigate the effect of Wenjing Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture on the expression of serum Wnt-3α

β-catenin and bone morphogenetic proteins-2 (BMP-2) of patients with wind cold dampness arthritis. Method: The 112 patients with wind cold dampness type rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated in our hospital from February 2015 to November 2016

were randomly divided into observation group and control group

56 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with Wenjing Tongluo Tang combined with acupuncture

while the control group was treated with celecoxib combined with leflunomide. Then the clinical efficacy

clinical symptom scores of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

C reactive protein (CRP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) changes and the changes of serum Wnt-3α

β-catenin and BMP-2 levels before and after the treatment were compared between two groups. Result: The total effective rate was 94.64% in observation group

significantly higher than 74.00% in control group (P<0.01). After the treatment

the clinical symptom scores of TCM were significantly decreased as compared with those before the treatment in both groups (P<0.01)

and the decrease was more obvious in observation group (P<0.01). ESR

CRP and RF levels were significantly decreased after the treatment in both groups (P<0.01)

and the decrease was more obvious in observation group (P<0.05). The serum levels of Wnt-3α

β-catenin and BMP-2 were significantly decreased after treatment in observation group (P<0.01)

but there was no significant difference in the control group before and after the treatment. Conclusion: Wenjing Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture has remarkable curative effect in the treatment of wind cold dampness rheumatoid arthritis

and it may play a role in relieving joint pain and improving joint function by down-regulating Wnt-3α

β-catenin

and BMP-2 expression levels.