AIM: To explore the treatment effect of puerarin on ophthalmic artery blood velocity and blood rheology in patients with diabetic retinopathy, and provide experience for clinical medication.

METHODS: Eighty-six patients with diabetic retinopathy were selected in our hospital from February 2010 to December 2012. They were randomly divided into study group and control group, each group of 43 cases. The two groups were taken blood glucose and symptomatic treatment, while study group were given to puerarin based on the therapy. Recording two groups of patients in hemodynamics and blood rheology in 1 month before and after the treatment, and make a contrast.

RESULTS: Before treatment, the two group in blood rheology indexes, was not statistically significant(P>0.05); after treatment, patients in the study group of the hematocrit, the whole blood viscosity at low shear rate, plasma viscosity, whole blood viscosity, erythrocyte aggregation index were lower than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). Two groups had no statistically significant differences in the hemodynamic parameters before treatment(P>0.05); after treatment, Peak systolic velocity(PSV)and end diastolic velocity(EDV)in study group were higher than those in the control group, but the resistance index(RI)was lower than that in control group, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Puerarin can improve hemodynamics and hemorheology in patients with diabetic retinopathy, and can protect the central retinal artery function.