Background Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious health problem worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have been widely used to treat chronic liver diseases, and many controlled trials have been done to investigate their efficacy. Objectives To assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for chronic hepatitis B infection. Search strategy Searches were applied to the following electronic databases: the CHBG Trials Register, the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field Trials-Register, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE and BIOSIS. Five Chinese journals and conference proceedings were handsearched. No language restriction was used. Selection criteria Randomized or quasi-randomized trials with at least three months follow-up. Thais of Chinese medicinal herbs (single or compound) compared with placebo, no intervention, general non-specific treatment or interferon treatment were included. Trials of Chinese medicinal herbs plus interferon versus interferon alone were also included. Trials could be double-blind, single-blind or not blinded. Data collection and analysis Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. The methodological quality of trials was evaluated using the Jadad-scale plus allocation concealment. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Main Resuits Nine randomized trials, including 936 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was considered adequate in only one trial. There was a significant funnel plot asymmetry (regression coefficient= 3.37, standard error 1.40, P=0.047). Ten different medicinal herbs were tested in the nine trials. Compared to non-specific treatment or placebo, Fuzheng Jiedu Tang (compound of herbs) showed significantly positive effects on clearance of serum HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV DNA; Polyporus umbellatus, polysaccharide on serum HBeAg and HBV DNA; Phyllanthus amarus on serum HBeAg. Phyllanthus compound and kurorinone showed no significant effect on clearance of serum HBeAg and HBV DNA and on alanine aminotransferase normalization compared to interferon treatment. There were no significant effects of the other examined herbs. Reviewer’s conclusions Some Chinese medicinal herbs may work in chronic hepatitis B. However, the evidence too weak to recommend any single herb. Rigorously designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are required.
Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for subfertility. Method Databases used including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CBM and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register (CCTR). Potentially related trials in reference lists of studies were hand searched. Published RCTs in any languages and length whether they were blind or unblind, were included. Treatments were Chinese medicinal herbs (single or compound), and controls were placebo, standard medical intervention, or no intervention. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers and analyzed with Revman 4.2 softeware. Results 7 randomized trials, including 1 042 patients met inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of all trials was poor. Chinese medicinal herbs were effective compared with routine antibiotics [RR 1.49, 95％CI (1.37 to1.62), Plt;0.000 01] and resulted in higher pregnancy rate [RR 1.46, 95%CI (1.09 to,1.96), P=0.01]. There were no adverse events reported in treatment group. Conclusions Some Chinese medicinal herbs may be effective for subfertility. However, the evidence is too weak to draw a conclusion. More strictly designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are required.
Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs for treating endometriosis. Methods We searched Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CBM (from establishment to 2003). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials of patients with endometriosis were included. The quality of included studies such as randomization, blinding, allocation concealment and loss of follow up were evaluated and meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 4.3 software. Results Ten RCTs or quasi-RCTs involving 1 120 patients were included. Because of different therapies in the treatment and control groups, the results of outcome were described separately. Most of included studies suggested that the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on general effect, pregnancy rate improvement and alleviating dysmenorrhoea were similar to Danazol or Tamoxifen, only a few studies showed better effects. There was no evidence to support that TCM was more effective than western medicine in reducing the size of endometriotic cysts. Only one study mentioned the recurrence rate and showed that TCM enema had lower recurrence rate than oral Tamoxifen with OR 0.17, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.67. Five studies mentioned adverse reactions and showed TCM had fewer adverse effects than western medicine. Conclusions Chinese medicinal herbs are effective in treating endometriosis with fewer adverse effects. The evidence is not b enough because of low quality of the included studies. Therefore, more high quality randomized controlled trials are required.