Anti-inflammatory and profibrinolytic effect of tetramethylpyrazine in acute coronary syndromes

Background and Objectives Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is a herb used widely in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an antianginal drug. The exact mechanism whereby TMP treat ischemic heart disease is still not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of TMP in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods Thirty-two patients with acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina were randomly assigned to TMP group or control group. All patients received the same standard treatment. Patients in TMP group received TMP 3mg/kg every 12 hours for 5 days. Plasma concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured at baseline and after 5 days of therapy. Results Both CRP and SAA concentrations increased significantly in control group (P<0.05) whilst in TMP group, only SAA had a significant increase (P<0.05); the absolute increase of CRP, SAA, and PAI-1 were significantly less in TMP group than in control group (P<0.05). Conclusion TMP has an anti-inflammatory and profibrinolytic effect in patients with ACS. These effects may contribute to the clinical benefits of TMP in ischemic heart disease.