To observe the effect of Yangyin Humo Decoction (养阴护膜饮

YHD) on oral mucomembranous reaction in patients with head-neck tumor undergoing radiotherapy. Forty-Forty-two patients with head-neck tumor undergoing radiotherapy were randomized equally into two groups. The two conventional Western medical treatment was administered to all

including intravenous dripping of 2% lidocaine 20 mL

dexamethasone 5 mg

gentamycin 80 000 units

vitamin B12 5 mg

dissolved in saline 250 mL

and 5% sodium bicarbonate solution for gargling

but to the patients in the tested group

YHD was given additionally. The medication was started simultaneously all through the whole course of the radiotherapy. Patients were examined every day to observe and compare the degree

initiating time

and repairing time of their oral lesions; the dosage of radiation they received was recorded as well. The degree of mucomembranous reaction that appeared in most patients in the test group was of grade 1–2

while in the control group

it was grade 2–3. The average time for oral lesion of 1

2

3 grades to be initiated in the test group was 12.0±1.1

11.0±1.3 and 10.0±0.8 days

respectively

after radiation started

which was later than that in the control group (P<0.01). Moreover

the average repairing time for the lesions of grades 1

2

and 3 in the test group was 3.0±0.7

10.0±1.3 and 19.0±0.8 days

which were shorter than those in the control group respectively (P<0.01). The radiation applied on the primary tumor of patients with oral lesion of grade 1–3 in the test group was 24.2±2.2

42.0±2.6 and 58.0±1.6 Gy on the average

respectively

which were higher than that applied on patients in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The Chinese herbal preparation YHD could alleviate oral mucomembranous reaction to radiation applied in patients with head-neck tumor.