Knee osteoarthritis:A review of animal models and intervention of traditional Chinese medicine

Background:Knee osteoarthritis(KOA)characterized by degeneration of knee cartilage and subsequent bone hyperplasia is a prevalent joint condition primarily affecting aging adults.The pathophysiology of KOA remains poorly understood,as it involves complex mechanisms that result in the same outcome.Consequently,researchers are interested in studying KOA and require appropriate animal models for basic research.Chinese herbal compounds,which consist of multiple herbs with diverse pharmacological properties,possess characteristics such as multicomponent,multipathway,and multitarget effects.The potential benefits in the treatment of KOA continue to attract attention.Purpose:This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the advantages,limitations,and specific considerations in selecting different species and methods for KOA animal models.This will help researchers make informed decisions when choosing an animal model.Methods:Online academic databases(e.g.,PubMed,Google Scholar,Web of Science,and CNKI)were searched using the search terms“knee osteoarthritis,”“animal models,”“traditional Chinese medicine,”and their combinations,primarily including KOA studies published from 2010 to 2023.Results:Based on literature retrieval,this review provides a comprehensive overview of the methods of establishing KOA animal models;introduces the current status of advantages and disadvantages of various animal models,including mice,rats,rabbits,dogs,and sheep/goats;and presents the current status of methods used to establish KOA animal models.Conclusion:This study provides a review of the animal models used in recent KOA research,discusses the common modeling methods,and emphasizes the role of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in the treatment of KOA.

A systematic review of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine retention enema in the treatment of ulcerative colitis

The objective of this study is to summarize the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)enema in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC).The randomized controlled trials on TCM enema intervention in the treatment of UC were searched in seven databases:PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,CBM,CNKI,Wanfang Database,and VIP Database from January 1,2013 to June 6,2022,and the data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software.A total of 18 studies involving 1514 UC patients were included.Meta analysis results showed that compared with conventional Western medicine,Chinese medicine enema had a significant effect on UC,and the clinical effective rate of the experimental group using Chinese medicine enema was 4.45 times that of the control group using conventional Western medicine(odds ratio=4.45,95%confidence interval[3.27,6.06]).Therefore,Chinese medicine enema is effective in the treatment of UC,and can significantly reduce related symptoms.

Application of Chinese Medicine Nursing Techniques in the Sequelae of Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases: A Review

Sequelae of Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases (SPID) is a common and frequent disease in gynecology, which adversely affects women’s reproductive health and quality of life due to its prolonged course. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China has gradually shown its clinical advantages in the treatment of SPID. Therefore, the present review summarizes the etiology and pathogenesis of SPID, the evidence typology, and the clinical application effects of moxibustion, herbal retention enema, acupoint compresses, external application of traditional Chinese medicine, auricular pressure beans, tuina massage, traditional Chinese medicine gongfu, and other commonly used Chinese medicine nursing techniques, with the aim of providing references and experiences for the subsequent related studies.

Effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine for diabetic retinopathy:A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is currently recognized as one of the most serious diabetic microangiopathies and a major cause of adult blindness.Commonly used clinical approaches include etiological control,microvascular improvement,and surgical intervention,but they are ineffective and have many side effects.Oral Chinese medicine(OCM)has been used for thousands of years to treat DR and is still widely used today,but it is unclear which OCM is more effective for DR.AIM To estimate relative effectiveness and safety profiles for different classes of OCMs for DR,and provide rankings of the available OCMs.METHODS The search time frame was from the creation of the database to January 2023.RevMan 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software were used to perform the systematic review and Network meta-analyses(NMA).RESULTS A total of 107 studies and 9710 patients were included,including 4767 cases in the test group and 4973 cases in the control group.Based on previous studies and clinical reports,and combined with the recommendations of Chinese guidelines for the prevention and treatment of DR,9 OCMs were finally included in this study,namely Compound Xueshuantong Capsules,Qiming Granules,Compound Danshen Dripping Pills,Hexue Mingmu Tablets(HXMM),Qiju Dihuang Pills(QJDH),Shuangdan Mingmu Capsules(SDMM),Danggui Buxue Decoction(DGBX),Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction and Buyang Huanwu Decoction.When these nine OCMs were analyzed in combination with conventional western medicine treatment(CT)compared with CT alone,the NMA results showed that HXMM+CT has better intervention effect on the overall efficacy of DR patients,HXMM+CT has better effect on improving patients'visual acuity,SDMM+CT has better effect on inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor,DGBX+CT has better effect on reducing fundus hemorrhage area,HXMM+CT has better effect on reducing fasting blood glucose,and QJDH+CT has better effect on reducing glycated hemoglobin.When there are not enough clinical indicators for reference,SDMM+CT or HXMM+CT treatments can be chosen because they are effective for more indicators and demonstrate multidimensional efficacy.CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that combining OCMs with CT leads to better outcomes in all aspects of DR compared to using CT alone.Based on the findings,we highly recommend the use of SDMM or HXMM for the treatment of DR.These two OCMs have demonstrated outstanding efficacy across multiple indicators.

Traditional Chinese medicine for acute mountain sickness prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) for preventing acute mountain sickness(AMS).Methods: We included randomized controlled trials(RCTs) which evalueded the effect of TCM for preventing AMS, compared with a placebo, no treatment or acetazolamide. The literature was searched in 6major databases. RevMan 5.4 software was used for the meta-analysis. The relative risk for discrete variables and the mean difference for continuous variables with 95% confidence intervals(CIs) were applied to express the effect size. The risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk assessment tool 2.0(RoB 2.0), and the evidence certainty was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment and the Development and Evaluation(GRADE) approach.Results: Twenty RCTs involving 3015 participants and 16 TCM patent drugs were included. The overall risk of bias in the majority of studies(15/20) was of some concerns. In terms of the AMS incidence,Rhodiola rosea(R. rosea, Hong Jing Tian) and Ginkgo biloba(G. biloba, Yin Xing Ye) were equivalent to the placebo/no treatment [RR(95% CI): 0.66(0.43-1.01), 0.82(0.63-1.06), respectively]. The AMS incidence in the G. biloba group was higher than that in the acetazolamide group [RR(95% CI): 2.92(1.69-5.06)]. In terms of improving the AMS symptom score on days 1 and 3 in the plateau, R. rosea and G. biloba were superior to the placebo or no treatment [MD(95% CI):-0.98(-1.71,-0.25),-2.05(-3.14,-0.95), respectively]. The other 14 Chinese patent medicines were evaluated in a single trial, and the majority of the results were negative. The subgroup analysis showed that the effect of R. rosea was related to the intervention time, way of ascending, and altitude.Conclusion: R. rosea and G. biloba were effective in improving AMS symptoms but had no effect in reducing the AMS incidence. There was insufficient evidence to support the use of other TCM patent drugs to prevent AMS. More randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials are warranted to evaluate and screen effective Chinese patent medicines for AMS prevention.

Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children:An overview of systematic reviews

Objective:To summarize the characteristics and evaluate the quality of the methodology and evidence within systematic reviews(SRs)of Chinese herbal medicine(CHM)for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)inchildren.Methods:SRs of randomized controlled trials were searched using PubMed,the Cochrane Library,Embase,the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases(CNKI),the Chinese Scientific Journals Database(VIP),Wanfang,and the SinoMed Database.SRs on the use of CHM alone or in combination with Western medications for MPP in children were included.The study compared the effects of Western medicine alone with those of CHM.The evidence quality using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews(AMSTAR)2,the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)2020,and the Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)criteria.The primary indicators were the total effective rate,fever subsidence time,and cough disappearance time.The secondary outcomes were pulmonary rale disappearance time,average hospitalization time,lung X-ray infiltrate disappearance time,immunological indices,and inflammatory cytokine levels.Results:Twelve relevant SRs were included;75%(9/12)were assessed as very low quality,and 25%(3/12)Were rated as low quality using the AMSTAR 2 criteria.According to the PRISMA 2020 checklist,the average SR score was 20.3 out of a 27 point maximum.In all SRs,CHM demonstrated improvement in symptoms and signs among children with MPP.The evidence quality using the GRADE criteria ranged from"very low"(>50%)to"moderate"(<5%).The most common downgrading factor was imprecision,followed by publication bias and inconsistency.Conclusion:This overview highlights the limited quality of the methodology and evidence of the included SRs.Although the included studies showed the beneficial effects of CHM on MPP in children,it was difficult to draw firm conclusions owing to methodological flaws.

Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine kidney-nourishing formula for Alzheimer's disease in comparison with donepezil:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:Finding an effective therapy against Alzheimer’s disease(AD)has been associate increasingly pressing issue and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is widespread in the prevention and treatment of AD in China.The aim of this study was to judge the efficaciousness and safety of TCM kidney-nourishing(the changes of pathological state of kidney deficiency by means of TCM treatment and so on)formula(TKNF)for AD in comparison with donepezil.Methods:The retrieval period of seven databases was from the establishment of each database to April 2019.Two authors independently identified randomized controlled trials(RCTs),fetched data and assessed bias risk.Comprehensive analysis process was conducted with review manager for eligible and appropriate RCTs.Results:A complete of 981 AD patients from 13 studies were enclosed.Meta-analysis of RCTs showed that there was no significant difference in the improvement of Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale score between 2 groups in short term,but the effect of long-term treatment may exceed donepezil;there was a significant difference in the improvement of activities of daily living score between 2 groups;there was a significant difference in TCM curative efficacy between 2 groups with long-term treatment.There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between 2 groups.The quality of the evidence was high or moderate.Conclusion:Compared with donepezil,TKNF was an effective drug for AD patients and the clinical application of TKNF was safe.TKNF's long-term benefits need more evidence to verify.

Effect of traditional Chinese medicine on anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in animal models:A systematic review and metaanalysis

Objective:To evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)on anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity(AIC)in animal models.Methods:Separate systematic searches for preclinical studies were performed in the PubMed,EMBASE,Web of Science,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Chinese Biomedical Database,Chinese Scientific Journal Database,and Wanfang Data from inception to August 2019.The primary outcomes were echocardiography,serum assays for myocardial enzymograms,histological assessments,and electrocardiograms.The secondary outcomes mainly included body weight and safety evaluations.The protocol is registered on PROSPERO(CRD42019145819).RevMan(V.5.3)was used for meta-analysis.Results:We identified 10 studies from 9 international scientific publications describing the efficacy of TCM on AIC animal models.All the included studies reported that,compared with animal model without any intervention,TCM significantly improved ventricular function,cardiac biomarkers,electrocardiograph results,and cardiac fibrosis.Improved survival rates and body mass indices were also observed with TCM.We further pooled the available data from four studies(63 animals)for the meta-analysis and the results showed that,compared with models without any intervention,TCM significantly increased the ejection fraction by 14.13%(95%CI,9.96e18.29)and fraction shortening by 8.66%(95%CI,6.05 e11.26).Creatine kinase-MB(SMD=2.49,95%CI:-3.12 to-1.85)and lactate dehydrogenase(SMD=-2.78,95%CI:-3.45 to-2.12)were also significantly decreased by TCM.Conclusions:TCM is effective in improving AIC in animal models and has tremendous potential to be translated to treat AIC in clinical practice.Additionally,the systematic review and meta-analysis of animal experiments may be valuable in enhancing and guiding animal experiments and promoting the transformation of the results.

Traditional Chinese medicine for promoting mental health of patients with COVID-19:a scoping review

Objective:This study aimed to systematically review and depict the current studies of traditional Chinese medicine for the mental health of patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Methods:A scoping review was conducted by searching PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI,Wanfang database,VIP database,and SinoMed,with the retrieval time being from the establishment of the database to April 18,2022.The basic information of the included studies,objective,design,types of patients,interventions,outcomes,etc.,was reviewed and summarized narratively.Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool,the methodological index for nonrandomized studies or the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.Results:We identified 30 traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)studies from six databases.Among them,finished randomized controlled trials(n=16)accounted for most of the studies,followed by single-arm studies(n=9).In terms of study theme,20 studies defined the mental health of patients with COVID-19 as the research theme.Psychological assessment was included in the inclusion criteria(performed before participation)of nine studies,whereas the other studies only mentioned the mental outcomes.TCM interventions included TCM exercises(Yijinjing,Baduanjin,Liuzijue,Taichi),acupoint stimulation(auricular and body points),moxibustion,decoction,or granules based on TCM syndrome differentiation,decoction,or granules with fixed formulae(Baidu Jieduan granules,Xuanfei Baidu decoction,and Qingfei Paidu decoction),Chinese patent medicine(Jinhua Qinggan granules),TCM psychological therapy(TCM ideological therapy,TCM five-tone therapy,and TCM psychological sand table),and TCM nursing(dialectical care,dialectical diet,and psychological counseling).Anxiety and depression were the main outcomes evaluated in regard to mental health in patients with COVID-19.The limitations of methodological quality were predominantly from follow-up,blinding,and registration.Positive results were reported by 27 studies(90%,n=30).Conclusion:We summarized the existing literature about the impact of TCM on mental health in patients with COVID-19.The number of studies evaluating the impact of TCM on mental health is encouraging,but overall methodological quality was low.Several TCM interventions warrant further evaluation,particularly among populations outside of China,for the purpose of establishing supporting evidence.More importantly,research with stronger methodological quality needs to be developed.

The clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in the auxiliary treatment of grade 1 hypertension: A systematic review and metaanalysis

Objective:To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in auxiliary treatment of grade 1 hypertension.Methods:The China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wan Fang Data,VIP,PubMed were searched to screen the literature of randomized controlled trials of TCM or non-drug therapies assisting conventional medicine to treat grade 1 hypertension.The search time was from the establishment of the database to October 1,2020.Revman5.3 was used for meta-analysis.Results:8 Chinese literatures were included.The results of the study showed that 24h diastolic blood pressure(DBP),24h systolic blood pressure(SBP),DBP lowering effect and TCM syndrome curative efficacy of the experimental group using TCM was better than that of the control group.However,TCM combined conventional medicine did not show an advantage on SBP lowering effect,antihypertensive efficacy rate and total clinical efficacy rate.Conclusion:TCM has a significant effect on lowering blood pressure for adjuvant treatment of grade 1 hypertension and can significantly improve clinical symptoms.

Effectiveness and Safety of Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of PostTACE Syndrome of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma:A Systematic Review

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of posttransarterial chemoembolization(TACE)syndrome of primary liver cancer.Methods:CNKI,VIP database,Wanfang database,CBM,PubMed,MEDLINE,and Cochrane library were retrieved,and the RCTs of Chinese medicine in the treatment of primary liver cancer TACE postoperative syndrome were included from the establishment of the database to March 2022.The Cochrane bias risk tool was used to evaluate the quality of included articles.RevMan 5.4 software was used for metaanalysis of outcome indicators and GRADEprofiler 3.6 software was used to evaluate the quality of evidence.Results:A total of 3992 patients were included in 44 studies.Metaanalysis results showed that compared with conventional western medicine treatment,combined Chinese medicine treatment could reduce the incidence of fever[RR=1.45,95%CI(1.09,1.92)],nausea and vomiting[RR=1.47,95%CI(1.10,1.95)],liver pain[RR=1.21,95%CI(1.02,1.43)];shorten the duration of fever[SMD=2.11.95%CI(1.43,2.79)],nausea and vomiting[SMD=1.67,95%CI(1.22,2.11)],hepatic pain[SMD=1.90,95%CI(1.30,2.51)],abdominal distension and pain[SMD=1.27,95%CI(0.75,1.79)],loose stool[SMD=2.30,95%CI(1.24,3.36)],constipation[SMD=2.18,95%CI(1.52,2.84)]after TACE,also it can improve patient quality of life[RR=0.73,95%CI(0.65,0.82)],clinical TCM syndrome[RR=0.73,95%CI(0.65,0.82)],shortterm efficacy[RR=0.75,95%CI(0.66,0.85)],oneyear survival rate[RR=0.87,95%CI(0.78,0.96)]and liver function and immune function.There was no significant difference in the incidence of abdominal distension and abdominal pain.Conclusion:Compared with only symptomatic western medicine after surgery,the combination of Chinese medicine has a significant effect and good safety in the treatment of postTACE syndrome.

A Review on Clinical Study on Treating Postoperative Constipation in Mixed Hemorrhoids with Traditional Chinese Medicine

Mixed hemorrhoids belong to a common disease in proctology.Surgery is the main clinical treatment,but postoperative constipation is prone to occur in patients,causing unnecessary physical pain to the patients.At the same time,it also affected uneventful recovery after the surgery.In diagnosis and treatment for the postoperative constipation in mixed hemorrhoids,TCM has its own features,such as oral administration of Chinese materia medica,acupuncture therapy,Chinese materia medica retention enema,acupoint catgut embedding,etc.,which have significant efficacy.However,there are also some problems,such as inconsistency of clinical syndrome differentiation,lack of large sample studies,and insufficient follow-up visits.In order to provide reference for clinical treatment in mixed hemorrhoids,this paper reviews academic studies on its postoperative constipation by traditional Chinese medicine in recent years.

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Bladder Cancer:a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of bladder cancer.Methods:The databases of CNKI(1989-2018.10),Wan fang Data(1989-2018.10),VIP(1989-2018.10),PubMed(1966-2018.10),EMbase(1986-2018.10)and Cochrane Library(3rd issue,2018)were searched..Evidence quality and rating recommendations were scored using the GRADE system.Results:Thirty-six eligible studies were included with 3,109 patients.The meta-analysis showed that the total effective rate OR combination=2.85[OR=2.85,95%CI(1.98,4.09),P<0.00001].Recurrence OR merge=0.33[OR=0.33,95%CI(0.26,0.42),P<0.00001];Adverse reaction rate OR combination=0.37[OR=0.37,95%CI(0.32,0.43),P<0.00001];Incidence of adverse reactions OR combination=0.41[OR=0.41,95%CI(0.30,0.55),P<0.00001];Survival rate OR combination=1.78[OR=1.78,95%CI(0.55,5.77),P=0.34];Quality of life improvement rate OR consolidation=12.42[OR=12.42 95%CI(3.21,48.11),P=0.0003].The GRADE system evaluation results show that the evidence level is B and the recommendation level is weak.The traditional Chinese medicine group was superior to the control group in the efficiency rate,postoperative recurrence rate,incidence rate of adverse reactions,survival rate,quality of life improvement rate and incidence rate of toxic and side effects in the treatment of bladder cancer.Conclusion:Traditional Chinese Medicine has a good effect on treating bladder cancer and controlling recurrence of bladder cancer.Due to the impact of the original study on the results of meta-analysis,larger sample and high-quality clinical trials are still needed to verify.

Application of traditional Chinese medicine nursing technique in hyperten hypertension with insomnia: A literature review

目前,高血压合并失眠仍缺乏统一有效的治疗手段,而中医护理技术能够有效高血压合并失眠患者的失眠症状,降低血压,缓解疲劳,改善焦虑、抑郁情绪,提高生活质量等。中医护理技术在高血压合并失眠患者中的应用不仅包括穴位按摩、穴位贴敷、耳穴压豆等单一中医护理技术的应用,还包括两种或多种中医护理技术的应用等。本文通过综述有关高血压合并失眠的中医护理技术应用现状,旨在为高血压合并失眠患者的治疗提供参考。

Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy： A literature review

目前，糖尿病周围神经病变（diabetic peripheral neuropathy, DPN）仍旧缺乏统一有效的治疗手段，而以辨证论治为特点的中医技术（如中药制剂、针刺、熏蒸）则被视为DPN潜在的有效治疗方法。中医护理技术是在中医理论的基础上发展而来的照护手段，其对DPN的照护不仅包括针灸、穴位敷贴等疗法的应用，而且还涉及到患者饮食及情绪的调护，其最终目的在于促进DPN患者皮肤和神经末梢的恢复。本文通过总结近年来国内外有关DPN的中医护理研究成果，以期为DPN的治疗提供参考。

Chinese medicine formulas for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Overview of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)affects more than one-quarter of the global population.Due to the lack of approved chemical agents,many patients seek treatment from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulas.A variety of systematic reviews have been published regarding the effectiveness and safety of TCM formulas for NAFLD.AIM To critically appraise available systematic reviews and sort out the high-quality evidence on TCM formulas for the management of NAFLD.METHODS Seven databases were systematically searched from their inception to 28 February 2020.The search terms included“non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,”“Chinese medicines,”“systematic review,”and their synonyms.Systematic reviews involving TCM formulas alone or in combination with conventional medications were included.The methodological quality and risk of bias of eligible systematic reviews were evaluated by using A Measure Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2(AMSTAR 2)and Risk of Bias in Systematic Review(ROBIS).The quality of outcomes was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development and Evaluation(GRADE)system.RESULTS Seven systematic reviews were ultimately included.All systematic reviews were conducted based on randomized controlled trials and published in the last decade.According to the AMSTAR 2 tool,one systematic review was judged as having a moderate confidence level,whereas the other studies were rated as having a low or extremely low level of confidence.The ROBIS tool showed that the included systematic reviews all had a high risk of bias due to insufficient consideration of identified concerns.According to the GRADE system,only two outcomes were determined as high quality;namely,TCM formulas with the HuoXueHuaYu principle were better than conventional medications in ultrasound improvement,and TCM formulas were superior to antioxidants in alanine aminotransferase normalization.Other outcomes were downgraded to lower levels,mainly because of heterogeneity among studies,not meeting optimal information sample size,and inclusion of excessive numbers of small sample studies.Nevertheless,the evidence quality of extracted outcomes should be further downgraded when applying to clinical practice due to indirectness.CONCLUSION The quality of available systematic reviews was not satisfactory.Researchers should avoid repeatedly conducting systematic reviews in this area and focus on designing rigorous randomized controlled trials to support TCM formula applications.

Chinese herbal medicine combined with nucleotide analogues for compensated HBV-related cirrhosis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) plus nucleotide analogues (NAs) for treating compensated HBV-related cirrhosis,the early stage of cirrhosis.Methods:PubMed,Cochrane library,China Network Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI),Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP),Wan Fang Database and Sino-Med Database were searched.Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing NAs and NAs plus CHM therapy on patients with compensated HBV-related cirrhosis were included.Two reviewers independently extracted information and assessed the methodological quality of the trials.Different CHM herbal formulas used in the trials were considered.Primary metaanalysis was conducted when there were at least two trials comparing the same CHM formula.Results:Forty-five trials comprising 3497 participants were included.The quality of most of the trials was moderate or low.Twenty-six herbal formulations were identified.A meta analysis was conducted for compound Biejia Ruangan (FFBJ),Dahuang Zhechong (DHZC),and Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY).The results of the subgroup analysis showed a beneficial effect of FFBJ plus entecavir (ETV),and DHZC plus adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) on hyaluronic acid (HA);FFBJ plus ADV on laminin (LN);and FZHY plus ADV on HA,LN,and precollagen type Ⅲ (PC-Ⅲ).The results from other studies suggested significant benefits of CHM plus NAs compared with NAs alone,except those on albumin (ALB).None of the trials evaluated the quality of life or reported severe adverse events.Conclusions:A positive effect was found for FFBJ plus ETV,DHZC plus ADV,and FZHY plus ADV on HA;FZHY plus ADV and FFBJ plus ADV on LN;and FZHY plus ADV on PCⅢ compared with the effects of NAs used alone.

Current Status of Research on Treatment of Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head with Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Perspective of Security-based Chinese Medicine

The publication of"Evidence-based Chinese Medicine"and the establishment of the Chinese Traditional Medicine Evidence-based Medicine Center mark that evidentiary-based Chinese medicine has stood in front of all Chinese medicine practices in the form of new disciplines,greatly promoting the modernization of Chinese medicine.It will always give Chinese medicine a powerful impetus to the world.Femoral head necrosis is the dominant disease in the treatment of TCM.Chinese medicine practices should seize the optionality to active learn the content of evidentiary-based Chinese medicine and apply it to clinical and scientific research practice.This article review the development status of femoral head necrosis treatment by TCM medicine from the perspective of event-based Chinese medicine.It provides a reference for the event-based development of Chinese medicine in the treatment of femoral head necrosis,and continues to develop advantages and make up for the shortcomings.

Clinical evidence of three traditional Chinese medicine drugs and three herbal formulas for COVID-19:A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Chinese population

Background The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)continues to spread worldwide.Integrated Chinese and Western medicine have had some successes in treating COVID-19.Objective This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three traditional Chinese medicine drugs and three herbal formulas(3-drugs-3-formulas)in patients with COVID-19.Search strategy Relevant studies were identified from 12 electronic databases searched from their establishment to April 7,2022.Inclusion criteria Randomized controlled trials(RCTs),non-RCTs and cohort studies that evaluated the effects of 3-drugs-3-formulas for COVID-19.The treatment group was treated with one of the 3-drugs-3-formulas plus conventional treatment.The control group was treated with conventional treatment.Data extraction and analysis Two evaluators screened and selected literature independently,then extracted basic information and assessed risk of bias.The treatment outcome measures were duration of main symptoms,hospitalization time,aggravation rate and mortality.RevMan 5.4 was used to analyze the pooled results reported as mean difference(MD)with 95%confidence interval(CI)for continuous data and risk ratio(RR)with 95%CI for dichotomous data.Results Forty-one studies with a total of 13,260 participants were identified.Our analysis suggests that compared with conventional treatment,the combination of 3-drugs-3-formulas might shorten duration of fever(MD=–1.39;95%CI:–2.19 to–0.59;P<0.05),cough(MD=–1.57;95%CI:–2.16 to–0.98;P<0.05)and fatigue(MD=–1.36;95%CI:–2.21 to–0.51;P<0.05),decrease length of hospital stay(MD=–2.62;95%CI–3.52 to–1.72;P<0.05),the time for nucleic acid conversion(MD=–2.92;95%CI:–4.26 to–1.59;P<0.05),aggravation rate(RR=0.49;95%CI:0.38 to 0.64;P<0.05)and mortality(RR=0.34;95%CI:0.19 to 0.62;P<0.05),and increase the recovery rate of chest computerized tomography manifestations(RR=1.22;95%CI:1.14 to 1.3;P<0.05)and total effectiveness(RR=1.24;95%CI:1.09 to 1.42;P<0.05).Conclusion The 3-drugs-3-formulas can play an active role in treating all stages of COVID-19.No severe adverse events related to 3-drugs-3-formulas were observed.Hence,3-drugs-3-formulas combined with conventional therapies have effective therapeutic value for COVID-19 patients.Further long-term high-quality studies are essential to demonstrate the clinical benefits of each formula.

Outcome of the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine for functional constipation:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Functional constipation(FC)is a common and chronic gastrointestinal disease and its treatment remains challenging.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine(CHM)on efficacy rate,global symptoms,bowel movements and the Bristol Stool Scale score in patients with FC by summarizing current available randomized controlled trials(RCTs).METHODS RCTs with CHM to treat FC were identified by a systematic search of six databases from inception to October 20,2020.Two independent reviewers assessed the quality of the included articles and extracted data.Meta-analyses were performed to odds ratio(OR),mean differences(MD)and 95%confidence interval(CI)using random-effects models.Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were used to explore and interpret the sources of heterogeneity.The funnel plot,Begg’s test and Egger’s test were used to detect publication bias.RESULTS Ninety-seven studies involving 8693 patients were included in this work.CHM was significantly associated with a higher efficacy rate(OR:3.62,95%CI:3.19-4.11,P<0.00001)less severe global symptoms(OR:4.03,95%CI:3.49-4.65,P<0.00001)compared with control treatment,with the low heterogeneity between studies(I2=0%,P=0.76).CHM was also associated with more frequent bowel movements(MD 0.83,95%CI:0.67-0.98,P<0.00001),a lower score on the Bristol Stool Scale(OR:1.63,95%CI:1.15-2.32,P<0.006),and a not significant recurrence rate(OR:0.47,95%CI:0.22-0.99,P=0.05).No serious adverse effects of CHM were reported.CONCLUSION In this meta-analysis,we found that CHM may have potential benefits in increasing the number of bowel movements,improving stool characteristics and alleviating global symptoms in FC patients.However,a firm conclusion could not be reached because of the poor quality of the included trials.Further trials with higher quality are required.