Safety and efficacy of Yaobitong capsules for lumbar disc herniation: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, parallel, positive-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is one of the most common diseases and is a global medical and socioeconomic problem characterized by leg or back pain, weakness in the lower extremities and paresthesia.

Objectives: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, parallel, positive-controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Yaobitong capsules (YBT) for LDH.

Material and methods: Patients (n = 479) were recruited and randomized into YBT and Jingyaokang capsule (JYK) groups (the positive control), and received YBT or JYK at a dose of 3 capsules 3 times per day after a meal for 30 days. The primary efficacy outcome was the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), with the visual analogue scale (VAS) used as the secondary efficacy outcome. The adverse events and adverse reactions were also evaluated.

Results: There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between YBT (n = 358) and JYK groups (n = 120), and no difference was observed between groups for mean ODI score at day 0 (p = 0.064) or day 7 (p = 0.196), but there were differences at days 14, 21 and 30 (p < 0.001). The YBT showed more decline from baseline, and the decreased ODI score was substantially different from JYK (p < 0.001). The differences in decreased VAS scores between YBT and JYK were also significant at each time point (days 7, 14, 21, and 30), with better scores in the YBT group than in the JYK group (p < 0.001). In terms of safety, there was no obvious disparity in adverse events or adverse reactions between the 2 groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Yaobitong was better than JYK for LDH treatment, with no significant difference in safety. The study suggests that YBT is a promising and effective treatment for LDH.