[Effects of the Tibetan herbal preparation Padma 28 in intermittent claudication]

In a placebo-controlled double blind study the effect of Padma 28, a Tibetan herbal prescription, on patients with intermittent claudication was investigated. After two weeks without vasoactive therapy 23 patients were treated by Padma 28 and 20 by placebo. The patients had a disease history of at least 8 months, a steady state for symptoms (maximum walking distance below 250 m), and were distributed randomly in the two groups. After 16 weeks the patients treated with Padma 28 exhibited on standardized ergometry an increase of some 100% (p less than 0.01) in the maximum as well as painfree walking distance. The control patients showed increases of 21% in maximum (p less than 0.05 as compared to Padma 28), and 46% in painfree walking distance. The drug was well tolerated and no drop-out ensued because of side effects.