Objective To analyze the clinical effect of addition or reduction of Buyang Huanwu decoction in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome (NS). Methods A total of 120 NS patients in our hospital from January 2019 to January 2021 were divided into two groups by random digital table method. Sixty patients in the control group were treated by conventional western medicine, 60 patients in the experimental group were treated with Buyang Huanwu decoction on the basis of control group.The clinical efficacy, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score, renal function index and total incidence of adverse reactions were compared. Results The total clinical effective rate of the experimental group (96.67%) was higher than that of the control group (80.00%). The scores of edema and oliguria, lumbar and knee pain and limpness, abdominal distention and dizziness after treatment in the experimental group were all lower than those in the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). After treatment, 24 h urinary protein volume and blood urea nitrogen level in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in serum creatinine before and after treatment (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the experimental group (5.00%) and the control group (6.67%,P>0.05). Conclusion Buyang Huanwu decoction could effectively improve the clinical symptoms and renal function, reduce proteinuria, and had less adverse reactions, high safety level and accurate curative effect.