Objective To explore the clinical effect of supplemented Changpu Yujin Decoction combined with acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia patients with type of imbalance between heart-yang and kidney-yin.

Methods A total of 141 insomnia patients with type of imbalance between heart-yang and kidney-yin were randomly divided into three groups, with 47 cases in each group. Decoction group was treated with routine western medicine and supplemented Changpu Yujin Decoction, acupuncture group was treated with routine western medicine and acupuncture, and combined group was treated with routine western medicine, supplemented Changpu Yujin Decoction and acupuncture. After 3 courses of treatment, clinical efficacy, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score, quality of sleep, neurotransmitter levels and therapeutic safety were compared among the three groups.

Results The total effective rate of the combined group was 91.49% (43/47), which was higher than 74.47% (35/47) of the decoction group and 70.21% (33/47) of the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score decreased significantly when compared to that before treatment in the three groups, and scores of items such as sleeplessness all night, easy to wake up, dysphoria in chest, palms and soles, and waist and knee soreness in the combined group were significantly lower than those in the decoction group and the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the indicators of quality of sleep improved in the three groups, and the sleep latency, sleep time of rapid eye movement and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score in the combined group were significantly lower than those in the decoction group and the acupuncture group, while the total sleep time was significantly longer than that in the decoction group and the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of neurotransmitter indicators in the three groups improved, and the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in the combined group were significantly lower than those in the decoction group and the acupuncture group, while the γ aminobutyric acid (GABA) was significantly higher than that of the decoction group and the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). The incidence rates of adverse reactions in the combined group, the decoction group and the acupuncture group were 14.89%, 10.64% and 12.77% respectively, which showed no significant difference among the three groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion Supplemented Changpu Yujin Decoction combined with acupuncture has a good therapeutic effect in the treatment of insomnia patients with type of imbalance between heart-yang and kidney-yin, which can improve the degree of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, enhance the quality of sleep, improve the levels of sleep-related neurotransmitters, and have good therapeutic safety.