Objective: To investigate the effect of Jiangxiang Shuxin capsules on vascular endothelium in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) of Qi stagnation and blood stasis type. Method: A design of randomized

placebo-controlled

double-blind trial was adopted; 158 cases of UAP of Qi stagnation and blood stasis type were selected and randomly divided into treatment group and control group

with 81 cases in treatment group and 77 in control group. The best western medical therapy solution was applied to both groups

on which basis Jiangxiang Shuxin capsules and placebo capsules was used respectively; daily 3 times

each time 4 grain. The course of treatment was 8 weeks. To observe improvements of angina

comparison of symptom-complex and the levels of serum NO

endothelin-1(ET-1)

von willebrand factor(vWF)

superoxide dismutase(SOD)

malondialdehyda(MDA) from before treatment to after 8 weeks of treatment were observed

and the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in brachial artery was detected at the same time using ultrasonography. Result: The improvements of angina and total efficacious rate in treatment group was 93.82% and 98.76%

and control group was 68.83% and 66.23% respectively

the improvement of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of the scores and total scores forchest pain

chest tightness

breathe hard

palpitations after treatment were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01); score changes in treatment group were superior to that in control group (P<0.05); after treatment

the blood level of vWF and ET obviously decreased ( P<0.01)

levels of NO and FMD increased (P<0.01) in both groups. Levels of SOD significantly increased and MDA signif icantly decreased in the treated group (P<0.01)

while in the control group

no marked change was found in SOD and MDA. Conclusion: The results suggest that Jiangxiang Shuxin capsules was safe more effective

which could improve symptoms and the vascular endothe1ial function in patients with UAP of Qi stagnation and blood stasis type.Its mechanism might be associated with antioxidation in UAP.