Combination of Qinzhu Liangxue Decoction and acitretin on the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris: a randomized controlled trail

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of acitretin plus Qinzhu Liangxue Decoction in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris. Method: A total of 72 eligible patients with psoriasis vulgaris were enrolled and randomized to into the acitretin group and the acitretin plus Qinzhu Liangxue Decoction group. The clinical efficacy and laboratory tests were measured at baseline and at 4 or 8 weeks. Results: Both initial PASI (psoriasis area and severity index) and DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index) were significantly decreased in two groups at 4 and 8 weeks. There was a better improvement of PASI or DLQI in the experimental group than those in the control group at 8 weeks. However, there was no significant difference in the DLQI improvement between two groups at 4 weeks. Compared with the control group, the treatment success rates in the experimental group was significant higher after 8 week of treatment. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-22, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), MIP-1β and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were dramatically declined both two groups at week 4 and week 8. The TNF-α, IL-8, IL-22, MIP-α, MIP-β and MCP-1 levels in the experimental group were significantly lower than those of control group 4 weeks or 8 weeks after treatment. Conclusion: Combination of acitretin with Qinzhu Liangxue Decoction have an exactly therapeutical efficacy in the psoriasis vulgaris associated with the negative regulation of TNF-α, IL-8, IL-22, MIP-1α, MIP-1β and MCP-1.