Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease spreading to the colon and shows an increasing global prevalence. Its development is associated with intestinal dysbiosis, intestinal flora disorders and immune dysfunction. Recent evidence demonstrated potentially potent efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine management. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Chaigui Ganjiang decoction plus rectal administration of Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Between December 2018 and March 2021, 88 patients with ulcerative colitis diagnosed and treated in our hospital met the inclusion criteria and were recruited. They were assigned to receive mesalamine (control group) or Chaigui Ganjiang decoction plus rectal administration of Chinese herbal medicines (study group), with 44 cases in each group. Outcome measures included clinical efficacy, traditional Chinese medicine evidence score, serum inflammatory factor concentrations and adverse events. Traditional Chinese medicine interventions were associated with markedly higher treatment efficacy vs. mesalamine (p<0.05). Traditional Chinese medicine interventions provided more significant symptom remission for patients than mesalamine, as evinced by the lower traditional Chinese medicine evidence scores (p<0.05). Remarkably elevated serum interleukin-10 concentrations and reduced interleukin-17 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in the study group suggested better inflammatory response mitigation of traditional Chinese medicine interventions than mesalamine (p<0.05). Chaigui Ganjiang decoction plus rectal administration of Chinese herbal medicines demonstrated a good safety profile vs. mesalamine by offering a lower incidence of adverse events (p<0.05). Chaigui Ganjiang decoction plus rectal administration of Chinese herbal medicines provides marked symptom remission in patients with ulcerative colitis, potentiates clinical efficacy, alleviates inflammatory responses and produces fewer adverse events.