Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Zisheng pills in the treatment of adverse reactions in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Methods This study included 72 patients with liver cancer hospitalized in the Department of Liver Diseases and Department of Oncology,Wenzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,from June 2011 to May 2014.These cases were randomly divided into treatment group(n = 37) and control group(n = 35).All the patients were treated with TACE,as well as conventional symptomatic and supportive treatment.In addition,the treatment group was given Zisheng pills(one bag) three times a day for at least three consecutive months.Comparison of categorical data was made by chi-square test,while comparison of continuous data(expressed as mean ± SD) was made by t test.Survival comparison was made by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.Results After the first TACE,there were significant differences in poor appetite and abdominal distension between the treatment group and the control group(P < 0.05); significant differences were also observed in CD3+and CD4+T lymphocytes between the two groups(P < 0.05).After the second TACE,there were significant differences in postoperative fatigue,poor appetite,and abdominal distension,as well as postoperative Karnofsky score,between the treatment group and the control group(P < 0.05); significant differences were also found in CD3+,CD4+,and CD8+T lymphocytes and CD4+/ CD8+ratio between the two groups(P < 0.05).The median survival time showed no significant differences between the treatment group and the control group(82 vs 74 weeks,P > 0.05),but the 2-year overall survival rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group(43.2% vs 20%,P < 0.05).Conclusion Zisheng pills have good clinical efficacy in the treatment of adverse reactions in liver cancer patients after TACE,and it can improve the symptoms and quality of life,regulate peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets,and increase the 2-year overall survival rate.