Objective To investigate the effects of huazi dihuang decoction combined with benazepril on the renal function

TCM symptoms and microcirculatory indexes of patients with diabetic nephropathy（DN）. Methods One hundred and forty-seven DN patients admitted to a hospital in Shenyang from August 2018 to August 2020 were selected for the study

and were divided into observation group

control group 1

and control group 2 using a random number table

with 49 cases in each group. Patients in the observation group were treated with huazi dihuang decoction combined with benazepril

patients in control group 1 were treated with huazi dihuang decoction

and patients in control group 2 were treated with benazepril; patients in all three groups were treated continuously for 12 weeks. The clinical efficacy of the three groups was compared; the renal function

TCM symptom scores and blood microcirculation indexes of the three groups were compared before and after treatment; the occurrence of adverse reactions during the treatment was compared between the three groups. Results The total clinical treatment efficacy of patients in the observation group

control group 1 and control group 2 was 93.88%

79.59% and 79.59%

respectively

and that of the observation group was higher than those of control groups 1 and 2

and with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）. Before treatment

there was no statistically significant difference in the levels of urinary microalbumin（m ALB）

blood urea nitrogen（BUN） and serum creatinine（Scr） between the three groups（P>0.05）; after treatment

the levels of m ALB

BUN and Scr in the three groups were lower than those before treatment and lower in the observation group than in control groups 1 and 2

with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）; after treatment

the levels of m ALB

BUN and Scr in control group 1 were lower than those in control group 2

and the differences were statistically significant（P<0.05）. Before treatment

there was no statistically significant difference between the TCM symptom scores of dizziness and tinnitus

palpitation and shortness of breath

tiredness and weakness

night sweating and spontaneous sweating in the three groups（P>0.05）; after treatment

the TCM symptom scores of dizziness and tinnitus

palpitation and shortness of breath

tiredness and weakness

night sweating and spontaneous sweating in the three groups were lower than those before treatment and lower in the observation group than in control groups 1 and 2

with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）; after treatment

the TCM symptom scores of dizziness and tinnitus

palpitation and shortness of breath

tiredness and weakness

night sweating and spontaneous sweating in control group 1 were lower than those in control group 2

and the differences were statistically significant（P<0.05）. Before treatment

there was no statistically significant difference between the erythrocyte aggregation index

total blood viscosity low cut

total blood viscosity medium cut and total blood viscosity high cut indexes of the three groups（P>0.05）; after treatment

the erythrocyte aggregation index

total blood viscosity low cut

total blood viscosity medium cut and total blood viscosity high cut indexes of the three groups were lower than those before treatment and lower in the observation group than in control groups 1 and 2

and with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）; after treatment

the erythrocyte aggregation index

whole blood viscosity low cut

whole blood viscosity medium cut and whole blood viscosity high cut indexes were all lower in control group 1 than in control group 2

and the differences were statistically significant（P<0.05）. The incidence of adverse reactions during treatment in the observation group

control group 1 and control group 2 was 6.12%

4.08% and 12.24%

respectively

and the differences were not statistically significant（P>0.05）.Conclusion In the treatment of DN

huazi dihuang decoction combined with benazepril can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of patients

improve renal function

regulate blood microcirculation

with evident efficacy and no increase in adverse reactions

thus showing a high safety profile.