Improvement of hematoma absorption and neurological function in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage treated with Xueshuantong

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) leads to high mortality and morbidity. Currently, there is no effective therapy for ICH. Herein we conducted a clinical study in patients with acute ICH to investigate the efficacy of Xueshuantong Injection, a Chinese herbal prescription known for treatment of ischemic diseases in China. Patients (n = 63) were randomly assigned to control (n = 29) and Xueshuantong Injection treatment (175 mg/d, n = 34) groups. Both groups were evaluated using their history and vital signs. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, hematoma volume by CT scanning, and inflammatory factors were assessed before and after two weeks treatment. There were no significant differences in all parameters between two groups before treatment. The treatment group showed significant decreases in both NIHSS score and hematoma volume, compared to control group after treatment (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, the inflammatory factors, as measured by leukocytes, neutrophil percentage and C-reactive protein values, were significantly reduced in treatment group compared to control group after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.05, P < 0.01 respectively). Our results showed that treatment with Xueshuantong Injection reduced inflammatory response and increased hematoma absorption, which significantly improved recovery of neurological function. This suggests Xueshuantong Injection as a potential treatment of patients with acute ICH.