Chinese herbal medicine in conjunction with conventional western medicine proved effective in improving symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.
The researchers carried out an extensive search of six databases up until September 2018 to gather relevant literature on the subject. The selection and extraction of data were in accordance with predetermined criteria. Two tools - A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), were used to assess the methodological quality of the systematic reviews and the evidence quality of the primary outcomes respectively.
The results of the study indicated that, in comparison with conventional western medicine alone, Chinese herbal Medicine (CHM) when used in conjunction with western medicine had a significant effect in improving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease patients. However, when used solely, CHM had no substantial impact. The adverse events were documented in nine out of eleven systematic reviews. In comparison with conventional western medicine, the CHM had generally fewer or milder side effects. But the researchers urged caution while considering the evidence due to certain flaws in the methodology.
