Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of Huangdisan grain combined with ‘Sanjiao’ acupuncture in treating treat Alzheimer disease with symptom of marrow sea deficiency and its effect on oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction. Method: Totally 106 patients were randomly divided into control group and observation group by random number table. Both groups patients got donepezil hydrochloride tablets

5 mg/day at bed time

and the dosage increased to 10 mg/day after 4 weeks based on the symptoms. Patients in control group was given ‘Sanjiao’ acupuncture therapy

whereas patients in observation group got Huangdisan grain (4 g/time

3 times/day) combined with ‘Sanjiao’ acupuncture. And course of treatment was 3 months. Patients' cognitive ability was evaluated by mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Alzheimer's disease assessment scale (ADAS-cog). Activities of daily living were evaluated by activity of daily living scale (ADL)

and marrow sea deficiency was also scored. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD)

malondialdehyde (MDA)

total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC)

glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX)

interleukin-1β (IL-1β)

IL-6

tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) were detected. Result: After Ridit analysis

the clinical efficacy of the observation group and the curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome were better than that of the control group(P<0.05). The total effective rate of TCM in observation group was 93.88%

which was higher than 79.17% in control group (χ2=4.521

P<0.05). After treatment

score of MMSE was higher than that in control group (P<0.01)

and scores of ADAS-cog

ADL and marrow sea deficiency were lower than those in control group (P<0.01). Levels of IL-1β

IL-6

TNF-α and IFN-γ were lower than those in control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Huangdisan grain combined with ‘Sanjiao’ acupuncture can improve the cognitive ability of patients and their activities of daily living

and resist oxidant stress and inflammation.