Objective To observe the clinical effect of herbal aerosol inhalation combined with iontophoresis in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease（ COPD） at acute exacerbation stage. Methods Seventy COPD patients at acute exacerbation stage were randomized into the treatment group and the control group

with 35 cases in each group. Both groups were given routine western medicine

such as antibiotics

spasmolysis and antiasthmatic medicine. Based on this therapy

the treatment group was added herbal aerosol inhalation and iontophoresis

30 minutes each time

once every day. Both groups were treated for 14 days. Patients’ symptom and sign scores of cough

expectoration

gasping and moist rales were examined before and after treatment. Pulmonary function

serum C-reactive protein（ CRP） and procalitonin（ PCT） were detected. The average days of using antibiotics during treatment in both groups were recorded. And the clinical effect was evaluated. Results Among 35 cases in the treatment group

30 cases showed marked effect

3 cases improved

and 2 cases without effect. The total effective rate was94. 28%. Among 35 cases in the control group

28 cases showed marked effect

3 cases improved

and 4 cases without effect. The total effective rate was 88. 57%. There was no significant difference in clinical effects between the two groups（ P > 0. 05）. The average days of using antibiotics in the treatment group were much fewer than those in the control group（ P < 0. 05）. After treatment

symptom and sign scores of gasping

cough

expectoration and moist rales decreased in both groups（ P < 0. 01）. The scores of cough and expectoration in the treatment group improved more significantly than those in the control group（ P < 0. 05）. There was no significant difference in pulmonary function between the two groups（ P > 0. 05）. After treatment

CRP and PCT in both groups were much lower than those before treatment（ P < 0. 01）

and those in the treatment group decreased more significantly than those in the control group（ P < 0. 05）. Conclusion Herbal aerosol inhalation combined with iontophoresis might improve clinical symptoms significantly

reduce the inflammatory indexes and decrease antibiotics use in patients with COPD.