Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2001 Jul; 21(7): 516-8.

[Clinical study on analgesic mechanism of bitongxiao in treating neck pain due to cervical spondylitis]

Li JX, Xiang CJ, Liu XQ.

Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700.

OBJECTIVE: To study the analgesic mechanism of Bitongxiao (BTX, a Chinese herbal decoction) in treating neck pain due to cervical spondylitis (CS). METHODS: BTX and Jingfukang (JFK) granule were used to treat the treated and the control group separately in 102 CS cases. Plasma leucine enkephalin (LEK), substance P (SP) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) before and after treatment were assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS: Twelve patients in the treated group were clinically cured, 36 markedly effectively, 3 effectively and 1 ineffectively, while in the control group they were 5, 33, 14 and 0 cases respectively. The cured and marked effective rate in the treated group was 92.3%, while that in the control group 72.0%. After treatment the pain score (VAS) of both groups were significantly reduced, but the reduction was higher in the treated group than that in the control. Before treatment, plasma LEK in all patients was abnormally low, but after treatment, it raised obviously more in the treated group than that in the control (P < 0.05). Plasma SP of both groups were obviously elevated, and PGE2 revealed unaltered after treatment. CONCLUSION: BTX has strong, fast-acting and long-lasting analgesic effect with no side-effects, it could elevate the lowered plasma LEK level in cervical spondylitis patients and increase plasma SP level. The analgesic mechanism of BTX might be associated with its effect on LEK, SP or other endorphins, directly acting on the pain modulation system.