Objective: To observe the clinical effect of rhubarb and angelica sinensis external applicationprescription combined with safflower yellow and sodium chloride injection for pleural effusion and its effect on the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in the effusion.Methods:Divided 120 cases of patients with pleural effusioninto the Chinese medicine group,the safflower yellow and sodium chloride injection group(the injection group),the combination group and the control group randomly,with 30 cases in each group;the Chinese medicine group was given theexternal applicationof rhubarb and angelica sinensis external applicationprescription;the injection group was givensafflower yellow and sodium chloride injection;the combination group was treated with the external application of Chinese medicine combined withsafflower yellow and sodium chloride injection;the control group was treated with repeated thoracic drainage;after 2 weeks,evaluated the clinical effectin the four groups,recorded the scores of the quality of life in the four groups before and after treatment and detected the changes of VEGF levels in the effusion.Results:After treatment,the total effective rate was 93.33% in the combination group,86.57% in the Chinese medicine group,83.33% in the injection group and 36.67% in the control group.Among which,the combination group had the best curative effect and there were significant differences being found in the pairwise comparison with the Chinese medicine group,the injection group and the control group(P<0.05);there was also significant difference being found in the comparison between the Chinese medicine group and the injection group and the control group(P<0.05);there was no significant difference being found in the comparison between theChinese medicine group and the injection group(P>0.05).After treatment,VEGFlevels in all the groups wereobviously-decreased when compared with those before treatment,difference being significant(P < 0.05);VEGF levels in the combination group,the injection group and the Chinese medicine group were lower than those in the control group(P< 0.05);VEGF levels in the combination group and the injection group were lower than those in the Chinese medicine group(P<0.05);VEGF levels in the combination group were lower than those in the injection group(P< 0.05).After treatment,the scores of the quality of life in each group were obviouslyincreased when compared with those before treatment, differences being significant(P < 0.05);and the scores in the combination group,the Chinese medicine group and the injection group were higher than those in the control group(P< 0.05);the scoresin the combination group were higher than thosein the Chinese medicine group and the injection group(P<0.05);the scoresin theChinese medicine group were higher than those in the injection group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of the method of external application of Chinese medicine combined with safflower yellow and sodium chloride injection for patients with pleural effusionhas evident effect,which can significantly reduceVEGF levels in the effusion and improve the quality of life of patients.