Neuroprotective Effect of Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz for Patients with Glaucoma

CH Ye, YQ Jiang
Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiang Ya
Hospital, Central South University, Changsha,
China

Purpose: To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz, a Chinese herbal medicine, for patients with intraocular pressure-controlled glaucoma.

Patients and Methods: A prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted from July 1999 to June 2001. Forty nine eyes of 49 patients with middle- or late-stage glaucoma were randomly assigned to receive Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz or placebo. The 2 groups were matched by age. The patients' diurnal IOPs were lower than 21 mm Hg after trabeculectomy, with or without antiglaucoma medication, or with medication alone, for at least 2 months and automated perimetry had been performed at least twice. Follow-up visits were monthly for 6 months. Intraocular pressure, visual acuity, cup:disc ratio, visual field, heart rate, and blood pressure were tested at baseline and at every follow-up visit.

Results: The intraocular pressure was 14.17 ± 2.50 mm Hg for the group receiving Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz and 14.52 ± 1.94 mm Hg for patients receiving placebo. The average mean sensitivity increased 1.42 dB for patients receiving Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz and reduced 0.95 dB for the control group (t = 3.913). The rates of visual field improvement for patients in the Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz group were 56.52% and 4.55% for the control group (² = 15.061; p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz resulted in improvement of the mean sensitivity of the visual field defects for patients with intraocular pressure-controlled glaucoma. Furthermore, intraocular pressure lower than 15 mm Hg reduces the threat of glaucomatous optic neuropathy and increases the effect of Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz. Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz showed a favourable neuroprotective effect for patients with middle- or late-stage glaucoma.