Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of Chinese herbs on the senile dementia.

Methods: There were 68 cases with senile dementia that were randomly divided into treated group and control group. In the treated group of 38 cases, l8 of them were rated mild, l2 moderate, 8 severe; l6 with cerebral infarction, 8 with cerebra hemorrhage, 6 cases in association with hypertension, 4 cases with diabetes, and 4 cases with high blood-lipid. There were 30 patients in the control group, of them l4 cases were rated mild, l0 moderate, 6 severe; l6 with cerebral infarction, 8 with cerebral hemorrhage, 2 with hypertension, 2 with diabetes, 2 with high blood-lipid.
　　The treated group was treated with Chinese herbs of Radix Ginseng or Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae, Rhizoma Acori Graminei, Herba Cistanches, Semen Cuscutae, Radix Polygalae, Radix Ophiopogonis, Flos Carthami, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Poria, and Radix Angrlicae Sinensis.
　　
　　The control group was given Piracetam. 20 days constituted one treatment course. All the patients received 2 to 3 treatment courses. If there were complications such as hypertension, diabetes or high blood-lipid, the drugs to treat them should be added.
　　Result: In the treated group, memory recovered in 24 cases, temporary memory improved in l0 cases, language improved in 4 cases, and non-changes in 4 cases. In the control group, memory recovered in l0 cases, language improved in 6 cases, and non-changes in l4 cases. The therapeutic effect in the treated group was obviously superior to that in the control group.

Conclusion: The above Chinese herbs have the functions of eliminating free radical, activating brain cells, inducing the production of interferon which has nerve-repairing and memory-recovering effects.

(By Zhang Zichao, Zhang Yuejun. From Chuankou Township Hospital, Lingbao City Henan Province 472522, China)