Visual field protective effect of Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. extract on glaucoma with controlled intraocular pressure: a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the visual field protective effect of Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. (EBHM) extract on glaucoma with controlled intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods: Forty patients (40 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma, visual field defects and a postsurgical IOP of <18 mmHg were enrolled. The EBHM and placebo tablets were given orally according to the randomized and double-blind principle. Two tablets (of either EBHM or placebo) were taken three times a day for a period of 6 months. Patients were examined every 2 months after treatment commenced. At the end of the study, the results were given to the drug manufacturer.

Results: All patients completed the prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. No obvious adverse effects were found in patients during the treatment period. In the placebo group, no significant difference was found in mean defect (MD) or mean sensitivity (MS) between the values at pre-treatment and after 2, 4, and 6 months of treatment. After 6 months of EBHM treatment, the MD was significantly decreased and the MS was significantly increased compared with pre-treatment (p < 0.05). In the patients with moderate and late glaucoma, the MD was significantly decreased and the MS was significantly increased after 2, 4, and 6 months of EBHM treatment compared with pre-treatment.

Conclusion: EBHM extract may have a partial protective effect on the visual field of glaucoma patients with controlled IOP. Further studies are needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of long-term EBHM treatment.

Table I

Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients^a

Table II

Comparison of blood pressure (BP), pulse, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, and vertical cup-disk ratio (VCDR) between the pre- and the post-treatment periods in the placebo group (n = 20)^a

Table III

Comparison of blood pressure (BP), pulse, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, and vertical cup-disk ratio (VCDR) between the pre- and post-treatment periods in the Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. group (n = 20)^a

Table IV

Comparison of visual field indices between pre- and post-treatment periods in the placebo and Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. (EBHM) groups^a

Table V

Comparison of visual field indices of moderate and late glaucoma patients between pre- and post-treatment periods in the placebo and Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. (EBHM) groups^a

Table VI

Comparison of visual field improvement rates between the placebo and Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. (EBHM) groups

Table VII

Comparison of visual field improvement rates of moderate and late glaucoma patients between the placebo and Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. (EBHM) groups