Comparison of traditional herbal medicine and standard western medicine in the management of dyslipidemia

Abstract

A comparison of a traditional herbal and standard western medicine for dyslipidemia was conducted in 316 Thai patients. Therapeutic equivalence of five brands of gemfibrozil available in Thailand and the therapeutic efficacy of gemfibrozil compared with safflower were studied using a randomized controlled double-blind design. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemfibrozil or safflower on plasma lipid profiles. The therapeutic outcomes were demonstrated by measurement of the mean change in lipid profiles in terms of total cholesterol, total triglyceride, and HDL-cholesterol from baseline over a 6-month treatment period. Toxicity outcomes were monitored by assessing renal toxicity in terms of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine and hepatotoxicity in terms of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase. These findings suggest that in Thai dyslipidemia patients, some effects are similar. Both gemfibrozil and safflower can safely and effectively decrease serum total cholesterol and increase HDL-cholesterol. Gemfibrozil, but not safflower, can also reduce serum total triglyceride. Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness were analyzed to demonstrate the pharmacoeconomic evaluation of the physicians' formulary decision-making in the management of dyslipidemia in Thailand.