Abstract
Low venous tone (LVT) occurs when the veins in the lower limbs can no longer
sufficiently pump enough blood back to the heart. Symptoms may include dull aching
and cramping, itching or tingling in the calves, swelling redness or any colour
changes as well as thickening of the skin in the lower limbs (Comerota, 2009). The
most common indication of LVT is dilated veins known as varicose veins(Glovicski et
al., 2011). LVT is a disorder found more commonly in females. Conventional
treatment for LVT includes vein ligation or stripping, elastic compression, valve
reconstruction and sclerotherapy venous bypass(Van den Bos et al., 2009). Amongst
other treatment, exercise has also proven to be effective as it increases circulation,
by increasing blood returning to the heart (Behrens and Michlovitz, 2006). A variety
of herbal supplements have been proven to be safe and effective in the treatment of
LVT.A combination complementary medication of red leaf extract, butcher’s broom
extract, horse chestnut extract and vitamin B6 has been formulated as an over-thecounter
product in South Africa, to treat LVT without any anticipated adverse effects
(Venavine-Nativa, 2014). Red vine leaf extract has also been proven to be useful in
the treatment of LVT. Previous studies on the red vine leaf extract have shown that it
is an effective and safe source of treatment (Kaluset al., 2004). Studies done on
horse chestnut extract have stated that the extract increases venous tone and
decreases capillary permeability, and butcher’s broom extract has been proven to be
effective in the treatment of LVT (Lim and Davies, 2009). There are currently no
studies done on the combination of red vine leaf extract, butcher’s broom extract,
horse chestnut extract and vitamin B6 on symptoms associated with LVT.
The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of a combination complementary
medication of red vine leaf extract (360 mg), horse chestnut extract (60 mg),
butcher’s broom extract (35 mg) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) (3.2 mg) in the
treatment of symptoms associated with LVT, using a venous clinical severity score
questionnaire (VCSS).
A double-blinded, placebo-controlled design will be conducted at the University of
Johannesburg (UJ) Health Centre, over 12 weeks. This research sample will be
shared with another researcher, Miss Xoliswa Mazibuko, who evaluated the quality...