[Effect of li dan ling in decreasing jaundice and improving liver function in patients with obstructive jaundice]

A total of 89 cases with extrahepatic jaundice were studied clinically. All patients were divided into two groups at random: control group and Li Dan Ling treatment group. It was found that: (1) liver functions in the patients with obstructive jaundice were injured severely; bilirubin, R15ICG, m-GOT, and gamma-GT were increased significantly; (2) in patients with incomplete biliary obstruction or after the relief of obstruction, liver functions could be improved gradually. They were improved more quickly in patients of the Li Dan Ling treatment group; (3) for the patients suffering from complete biliary tract obstruction, until the obstruction was relieved liver function could not be improved. After the herbal medicine, all the indicators would be further worsened before the relief of the obstruction, and the value of "b" would be positive. The increase in m-GOT and gamma-GT was higher than in the control group, indicating the liver functions were further injured. Therefore, the herbal cholegogue was not suitable for the patients before the obstruction was relieved. The further investigations showed that excretion of bilirubin from the bile could be accelerated by Li Dan Ling, and after herbal administration, the cholesterol level in bile was lowered significantly; the liver blood flow in normal and jaundiced rats would be increased 30 to 90 min. after administering the herbs.