Chinese Medicine

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Executive Summary

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Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Research into Chinese medicine treatment for Chinese Medicine" summarising the research below and using language that can be easily understood by patients and avoiding medical jargon using a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Researched Chinese medicine treatments for Chinese Medicine" summarising the research below in an objective and easy to understand way, and using language that can be easily understood by patients. Group the article into Chinese medicine treatments first, followed by nutrition and other treatments. Avoid using medical jargon and use a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write me a concise but easy to understand executive summary on the topic of "Chinese medicine treatments for Chinese Medicine" based on the following research that I will give you. Your summary should be 2 paragraphs long in Australian English spelling and include references to the studies.

A Systematic Review published in 2024 in the journal Heliyon found that Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies have shown effectiveness in treating ulcerative colitis according to the summarised-findings of various systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methodology: This evaluative study used an extensive and systematic methods to search data from seven different databases. The selected data were further refined by using different screening and evaluation frameworks like AMSTAR-2, PRISMA, ROBIS, and GRADE systems. These were used to determine the methodological quality, reporting quality, risk of bias, and the quality of evidence in the selected studies. Discussion of results: After critical evaluation, the study found ten relevant reviews and analyses that showed potential for acupuncture and moxibustion therapies being effective in ulcerative colitis treatment. However, many the identified studies were reported to have several problems in their overall design and quality of outcomes. The researchers therefore stress caution when interpreting these results due to the lack of high-quality evidence in the existing studies.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2024 in the journal SSRN Electronic Journal found that Diverse acupuncture therapies, especially moxibustion, emerged as superior methods for alleviating ulcerative colitis symptoms in clinical practice. Methodology: The researchers carried out a systematic review and network meta-analysis of clinical efficacy of various acupuncture therapies for ulcerative colitis patients. They accomplished this by sourcing for Clinical Randomized Controlled trial articles from databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and other data knowledge service platforms, all of which were independently reviewed by two researchers. Several quality assessments were made through Review Manager software, and the meta-analysis was conducted with Stata 16 software. Interventions examined in the analysis included acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint catgut embedding, and combinations of these therapies with Western medicine. Discussion of results: 52 articles encompassing 3924 patients participated in randomized control trials. The investigation revealed a range of interventions, including different acupuncture therapies and combinations of these therapies with Western medicine. Namely, moxibustion, either on its own or combined with Western medicine, consistently surfaced as top-ranked for overall effectiveness and specific outcomes. Moreover, moxibustion displayed impressive performance in reducing adverse reactions and recurrence rates. Thus, various acupuncture therapies were confirmed as safe and effective for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, with moxibustion emerging as the most effective.

A Data Mining published in 2024 in the journal Traditional Medicine Research found that The traditional Chinese medicine prescription combination of Chrysanthemi Flos, Cassiae Semen, Lycii Fructus, Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma presents potential for treating retinal diseases. Methodology: The researchers employed data mining to discern a new traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription against retinal diseases and explore its medication rule. This was followed by constructing a network of TCMs, core ingredients, core targets, and core pathways using network pharmacology. The binding ability between core active ingredients and core targets was then verified through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation techniques. Discussion: The novel TCM prescription screened in this study bears great potential in retinal diseases treatment through a unique mechanism of action. This mechanism involves TCM prescriptions that possess clearing heat and supplementing activities, associated with liver and lung meridians. The mechanism was found to act by modulating several core targets implicated in multiple core pathways such as the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, among others. This potentially inhibits the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and retinal neovascularization and apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells. This improves retinal structural impairment and can have a significant impact on the treatment of retinal diseases.

A Experimental Study published in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience found that Acupuncture can enhance visual function in people with myopia via particular changes in brain activity. In this study, a group of 21 myopic patients received acupuncture at a specific acupoint. To assess the impact of this treatment on their vision, a technique known as contrast sensitivity (CS) was used to analyse vision quality before and after the acupuncture process. At the same time, electroencephalography (EEG) was employed to record changes in brain activity throughout the procedure. It was observed post-acupuncture that patients' contrast sensitivity was generally better, implying improved visual abilities. Moreover, EEG data divulged certain changes in brain states labelled as 'microstates', particularly a decrease in the contribution of 'microstate C' and a lower transition probability between 'microstate A' and 'microstate C'. Furthermore, analysis showed a negative correlation between the contribution of 'microstate C' and contrast sensitivity. These findings suggest a connection between the enhancement of visual function and specific neurophysiological processes.

A Theoretical Article published in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese medicine has been found to effectively treat ulcerative colitis by repairing various components of the damaged intestinal mucosal barrier. In the methodology, the study sought to uncover the efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating ulcerative colitis (UC). The research began by acknowledging the key role that damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier plays in the development of UC. It then explored how TCM could combat UC by protecting and repairing various aspects of this barrier including the physical, chemical, immune, and biological barrier. In the results discussion, it was discovered that TCM not only increases the number of intestinal epithelial cells, tight junction proteins, and mucins, but also encourages the proliferation of intestinal stem cells, restores the abundance of the intestinal microbiota, and modulates immunity in the gut. Moreover, the study identified several upstream proteins and signaling pathways that were activated in the process. This gives hope to future treatment plans for UC using TCM, with the study providing a fundamental theoretical basis and new ideas for future investigations.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2023 in the journal Journal of Pharmacopuncture found that Acupuncture combined with moxibustion has shown significant benefits in the treatment of mild to moderate Crohn's disease. In this systematic review, the researchers conducted a comprehensive search of 12 databases for randomized controlled trials on the impact of acupuncture on Crohn's disease. Three independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias for each study. The level of evidence from meta-analyses was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology. The review included a total of 12 studies. Findings suggest that acupuncture combined with moxibustion, a traditional East Asian treatment involving burning a small bunch of herbs on particular points on the body, had an effect on the treatment outcomes for patients with mild to moderate Crohn's disease when compared to a group given sham acupuncture and sham moxibustion treatments. Notably, findings on the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment only, without the addition of moxibustion, were less clear. It is also important to emphasize that this review was firmly focused on the benefits of the treatment on patients with mild to moderate symptoms of Crohn's disease.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology found that Jia Wei Xiao Yao San could potentially enhance the effectiveness of antithyroid drugs in treating hyperthyroidism especially in symptom relief and side effect reduction. To evaluate this claim, a systematic and comprehensive dive into eight databases and three trial registries up until May 2023 was performed. From this, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were earmarked and subjected to further analysis using the Review Manager software application (RevMan 5.4) and Stata 14.0. Assessments of bias in these studies were conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias tool 1.0, while the GRADE tool was implemented for overall quality assessment. In addition, any case reports utilizing JWXYS in singular use and relevant pharmacological studies were summarized for further understanding. This investigation involved 13 RCTs with a total of 979 participants. It was found that, when compared with standalone antithyroid drug treatment, the combination of JWXYS and antithyroid drugs resulted in improved control of thyroid hormones, better efficacy in treating traditional Chinese medicinal syndrome, lesser incidence of goiter, fewer side effects, and lower levels of thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibodies. Furthermore, dosage reduction of antithyroid drugs when used in combination with JWXYS also led to fewer side effects. However, when compared to antithyroid drugs treatment in a single trial, JWXYS showed mixed results indicating it is not recommended for use as a standalone treatment except in patients intolerant to antithyroid drugs. The evaluation of three case reports highlighted that patients may opt for traditional Chinese medicine only as an alternative due to severe side effects and recurrent relapses. Three other pharmacological studies showed the potential of JWXYS in restoring Th17/Treg balance, regulating thyroid cell growth, and alleviating oxidative stress in liver.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2023 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that Acupuncture demonstrates a positive therapeutic effect on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by effectively regulating associated inflammatory factors. Eight electronic databases were utilized in a systematic search for studies that satisfied the pre-defined inclusion parameters. Two impartial reviewers evaluated the quality of the resultant studies and a meta-analysis was then performed to assess the efficacy of acupuncture on IBD and its related inflammatory factors which include TNF-α, IL-1, IL-8, and IL-10. The analysis comprised of four randomized controlled trials that involved a total of 228 patients. The beneficial effects of acupuncture on IBD patients were thoroughly inspected, as well as its ability to regulate levels of specified inflammatory factors. The P values, which refer to the probability that any observed result occurred by chance, were critically assessed for every inflammatory factor - significance was found in the values of TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-10, but not for IL-1. The conclusion drawn was that acupuncture has a positive therapeutic impact on individuals suffering from IBD, and quite importantly, can regulate inflammatory factors in these patients. As a result of these findings, it is suggested that TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-10 are the ideal inflammatory indicators for evaluating the anti-inflammatory response in this patient category.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2023 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan significantly reduced menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea patients with heat-burning blood-stasis syndrome, without notable adverse effects. In the methodology, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Eligible patients suffering from primary dysmenorrhea with heat-burning blood-stasis syndrome were randomly placed into two groups – one received Guizhi Fuling Wan, the other a placebo, administered twice daily across three menstrual cycles, with a 3-month follow-up. The primary measurement was the change in pain intensity from the beginning to the 6th month, gauged by using a Visual Analog Scale. In the discussion of results, data showed that the pain intensity (measured using Visual Analog Scale) significantly decreased in the Guizhi Fuling Wan group compared to the placebo over the 6 month period. Secondary measurements also indicated a greater reduction in Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale, Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores in the Guizhi Fuling Wan group compared to the placebo. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups when measuring the Self-rating Depression Scale. Furthermore, no serious adverse events were observed during the trial.

A Practice Guideline published in 2023 in the journal Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine found that Guidelines have been developed for treating frozen shoulder using traditional Chinese medicine, with multiple therapies such as acupuncture and exercise recommended. The development of evidence-based guidelines followed internationally recognized standards and used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach to determine the certainty of evidence and the strength of recommendations. A multidisciplinary group formed the development panel, who took into account benefits, harms, availability of resources, accessibility, and other factors. Nine clinical queries were defined after conducting a systematic literature review and a face-to-face meeting. The guideline panel reached a consensus on twelve recommendations which included treatments like manual therapy, acupuncture, needle knife, Cheezheng Xiaotong plaster, Gutong plaster, exercise therapy and an integrated approach of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Their strength ranged from weakly recommended to consensus based. This new guideline targets clinicians and health administrators.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2023 in the journal PLOS One found that Acupuncture, either alone or as an adjunct, improved the clinical efficacy and visual acuity of age-related macular degeneration patients, particularly those with dry AMD. The study conducted a meta-analysis on nine out of 226 articles selected from various databases such as PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, The Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, VIP, Wanfang, and SINOMED up until September 4, 2022. Two separate reviewers independently carried out the literature screening and data extraction and used RevMan 5.4 software for the meta-analysis. In the discussion of the results, it was found that 508 AMD patients (representing a total of 631 eyes), including 360 dry eyes and 271 wet eyes, showed improvement in both clinical efficacy and best-corrected visual acuity after receiving acupuncture treatment. The treatment also led to a reduction in their central macular thickness. However, while the benefits of acupuncture were seen, the quality of evidence supporting these outcomes was judged as ranging from "low" to "very low".

A Theoretical Article published in 2023 in the journal Sleep Medicine Clinics found that Acupuncture may enhance the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for people suffering from insomnia and related conditions. The research methodology used in this paper is mainly a theoretical analysis and discussion of the potential synergistic effects of combining cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and acupuncture. This involves analysis of the current evidence base for the efficacy of acupuncture in treating insomnia and related conditions, along with examination of the practical, logistical, and regulatory aspects of combining these two treatments. In the discussion of their results, the researchers found that there is a growing body of evidence that supports the potential benefit of acupuncture in treating insomnia and its comorbidities, enhancing the current standard treatment approach of CBT-I. This appears to be an innovative approach that could potentially enhance the treatment effectiveness and outcomes for those struggling with insomnia, though it concurrently raises complex issues in terms of its practical and regulatory implementation.

A Review Article published in 2023 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) could increase the survival rate of retinal ganglion cells, thereby playing an active role in treating glaucoma. Methodology: The research involved a comprehensive collection and collation of scientific articles from various databases about TCM and its application on glaucoma. The therapeutic effects of TCM, including their specific formulae, crude drugs, and active components, were analyzed based on existing experimental and clinical research. The GSE26299 database was also used for a bioinformatics analysis of glaucoma, employing the GEO database chip. Results: The traditional Chinese medicines exhibited positive effects in treating glaucoma by potentially improving the microcirculation, managing oxidative stress, and regulating the immune system, which in turn increased the survival rate of retinal ganglion cells. Furthermore, the bioinformatics analysis speculated the pathogenesis of glaucoma to be associated with multiple signaling pathways. The study concluded that TCM could alleviate and treat glaucoma through various methods, with the provision that the differentiation syndrome should be the basis for proposing suitable treatment options.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found that Acupuncture, especially TEAS, is safer and more effective than medication for improving sleep quality in cancer related insomnia Acupuncture methods like transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation (TEAS) and acupuncture+moxibustion were better for sleep than medication. Acupuncture had fewer side effects than medication with positive impact on canner-related insomnia linked to factors like melatonin regulation. Amongst all treatment types, TEAS was probably the more effective.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found that Acupuncture and Moxibustion Show Promise for Chronic Renal Insufficiency Acupuncture and moxibustion emerge as effective and safe interventions for chronic renal insufficiency, with Transcutaneous Electrical Acupuncture Stimulation showing the highest potential for efficacy.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Acupuncture shows positive effects on cancer-related issues; research calls for further exploration of acupuncture's efficacy and safety, especially for conditions like depression, offering further potential support for cancer survivors This review summarizes evidence from 51 systematic reviews on acupuncture for cancer-related conditions. Acupuncture was found to have positive effects on various conditions such as cancer-related pain, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, and more. The methodological quality of the reviews was generally low, and some biases were identified. Acupuncture was considered safe, with only mild adverse events reported. In clinical practice, acupuncture can be a beneficial option for cancer survivors for certain conditions.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience found that Meta-analysis of TCM non-drug treatments like acupuncture and massage improved primary insomnia, reducing PSQI scores, and easing anxiety and depression. The effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) non-drug therapies (acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, and auricular point pressing) were evaluated in treating primary insomnia. Results showed that TCM non-drug therapies significantly improved the PSQI score in insomnia patients, with a higher effective rate compared to the control groups. These therapies also demonstrated improvements in anxiety and depression.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) demonstrates weight loss efficacy and metabolic benefits in overweight and obese individuals TCM interventions, particularly polyherbal preparations, effectively reduced weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference in overweight and obese individuals across 25 studies with nearly 2,000 participants. TCM also improved glucose and lipid metabolism by reducing fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol while increasing HDL levels. TCM treatments were generally well-tolerated and safe, with some mild adverse effects.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Sleep and Breathing found that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners attributed OSAHS to turbid phlegm and blood stasis, offering various TCM treatments for different OSAHS categories. This content discusses the historical records of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) in ancient China dating back to 770-221 BCE. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) physicians identified turbid phlegm and blood stasis as contributing factors to OSAHS and proposed TCM treatments based on different etiologies and pathogenesis categories.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Pharmacopuncture found that Complementary therapies are generally effective and safe in treating insomnia with acupuncture being the most frequently effective form, often yielding results superior to western medicine, sham/placebo, and no treatment. The researchers conducted an extensive literature search using six different databases to gather systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effectiveness and safety of complementary therapies for insomnia. Among the surveyed data, 30 systematic reviews/meta-analyses were chosen for the overview. An analysis using the PSQI was performed involving a significant number of randomized controlled trials and participants. The results confirm that complementary therapies had a positive impact on the PSQI scores in insomnia patients. Most of the reviews and meta-analyses reported positive results, with acupuncture being the most frequently effective form, often yielding results superior to western medicine, sham/placebo, and no treatment. However, the study discusses the presence of some methodological and reporting quality deficiencies in the systematic reviews and meta-analyses due to a lack of protocol registration and exclusions in study lists.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2022 in the journal Pain Medicine found that True acupuncture treatment according to traditional Chinese medicine consistently improved migraine outcomes more than just medication or mock treatments. In the prospective, randomized, controlled study, 160 migraine patients without aura were assigned to one of four treatment groups. These treatments included: traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture combined with Rizatriptan (TA); a ritualized non-penetrative acupuncture treatment combined with Rizatriptan (RMA); a standard non-penetrative acupuncture treatment combined with Rizatriptan (SMA); or Rizatriptan alone (R). The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire was completed before treatment, and again after three and six months. The study found that all patient groups experienced a decrease in Migraine Disability Assessment scores following treatment, indicating general improvement. However, the traditional acupuncture treatment group (TA) showed significant improvement in comparison to those who received only Rizatriptan. The ritualized non-penetrative acupuncture treatment group (RMA) showed temporary improvement, suggesting a placebo effect.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Medicine found that Acupuncture coupled with traditional Chinese medicine may be more effective and safer than conventional Western medicine in treating chronic urticaria. To compare the efficacy of acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine to conventional Western medicine, several databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP, and CBM, were searched until August 2021. The criterion for inclusion were randomized control trials where the experimental group was treated with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, and the control group with conventional Western medicine. Studies were excluded if they were repeated publications, lacked full text, incomplete in information, or incapable of data extraction. Animal experiments, reviews, and systematic reviews were also disregarded. Data analysis was conducted using STATA 15.1 software. The analyzed results revealed that the total effective rate of the group treated with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine was noticeably higher than those treated with conventional Western medicine. Additionally, this group showed considerably lower Urticaria Activity Scores and pruritus scores compared to those treated with Western medicine. However, there was no substantial difference shown in the wheal score between both groups. Significantly, the recurrence rate and the incidence rate of adverse events in the group treated with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine were markedly lower than the other group. This highlights the greater effectiveness and safety of the combination of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine for chronic urticaria compared to Western medicine.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used alongside Western medicine for COVID-19 treatment shows potential benefits in terms of lung recovery, symptom improvement, and reducing the risk of severe cases. Reviews conducted between 2020 and 2021, focused on various TCM interventions combined with Western medicine. The evidence suggests that TCM, when used alongside Western medicine, has a positive impact on several outcomes, including lung recovery, clinical symptom improvement, and reduced risk of severe cases. Overall, TCM appears to offer potential benefits in COVID-19 treatment, but further research is needed.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Pharmacological Research - Modern Chinese Medicine found that Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) experienced greater clinical improvement and fewer adverse effects when treated with a combination of Traditional Chinese and Western medicine compared to Western medicine alone. With an aim to assess the effectiveness and safety of combined Traditional Chinese and Western medicine (referred as ITCMWM hereafter) in treating ulcerative colitis, a systematic review was conducted following a registered protocol. Data was sourced from numerous databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data. The review incorporated only randomized controlled trials comparing ITCMWM with stand-alone Western medicine. A total of 3957 patients from 38 studies, equally divided into the ITCMWM group and control group, were considered, and the risk ratios were calculated. The results from the aggregated studies show that patients in the ITCMWM group reported a significantly better clinical outcome and witnessed fewer adverse events when compared to patients on stand-alone Western medicine. It was observed that the combination of both Traditional Chinese and Western treatments clearly outperformed Western medicine treatment alone in terms of overall effectiveness on ulcerative colitis. Additionally, the safety level was nearly equal for both treatment methods.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture, either solo or alongside conventional treatment, results in a significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life for chronic rhinosinusitis sufferers. To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic rhinosinusitis, this study utilized 10 randomized controlled clinical trials, found through searching electronic databases. Through these trials, the posttreatment severity of chronic rhinosinusitis was measured, primarily focusing on the Total Effective Rate and patient ratings on the Visual Analogue Scale. From the analysis of the trial data, it was revealed that acupuncture, when used alone or in combination with conventional treatment methods, led to significant improvements in the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms and the quality of life of patients. This was indicated by enhanced ratings on the Visual Analogue Scale and the Total Effective Rate. It was also noted that the incidence of adverse events was similar across treatment methods. Despite these promising results, the researchers found a high degree of clinical heterogeneity across the included trials, as well as generally moderate-to-low quality of evidence.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology found that Acupuncture added to conventional rehabilitation has been found more effective in reducing post-stroke spasticity than conventional rehabilitation alone. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a charge was led to determine the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for post-stroke spasticity. A comprehensive search across nine electronic databases was carried out up to June 2022. Identification was focused on randomized-controlled trials that scrutinized the potency and safety garnered from acupuncture for post-stroke spasticity. An independent screening of studies was initiated by two reviewers who also took charge of data extraction and bias risk assessment. Software tools were employed for statistical analysis of data. Out of the search, 88 studies deemed eligible were included amounting to a total of 6,431 participants. Pooled data illustrated that there was a beneficial effect when combining acupuncture and conventional rehabilitation, surpassing the results obtained from conventional rehabilitation alone. Subgroup analysis underscored that acquiring acupuncture either once or twice a day had superior results than conventional rehabilitation. The antispasmodic effect seemed to improve with more treatment sessions. A small number of studies explicitly pointed out slight adverse events related to acupuncture.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicine therapies, like acupuncture and moxibustion, effectively alleviate irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea symptoms, and reduce recurrence rates. Adhering to the guidelines for systematic reviews, multiple databases including PubMed and Cochrane Library, and several Chinese databases were thoroughly searched. The focus was randomized controlled trials that compared traditional Chinese external therapies with western medicine for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea up until the end of 2021. Two authors were independently responsible for screening, data extraction and study assessment. Study quality assessment involved both the Jadad scale and Cochrane Collaborative's risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was performed on the data collated using Review Manager software. The gathered data revealed that of the twenty-one studies examined, including a total of 1,862 subjects, acupuncture and moxibustion were the most prevalent external therapies. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that in comparison to the control group, the experimental group demonstrated marked improvement. Notably, the experimental group had superior clinical effectiveness rates, better clinical cure rates, and reduced recurrence. Additionally, there was significant improvement in irritable bowel syndrome related quality of life within the experimental group. Despite these promising results, the publication bias of the included studies was noted as a potential limitation.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2022 in the journal Natural Product Communications found that Combining traditional Chinese medicine may offer potential therapeutic value in treating both Alzheimer's disease and major depressive disorder simultaneously. Researchers leveraged network pharmacology and molecular docking technology to identify the effect of traditional Chinese medicine and its multitarget components for treating Alzheimer's disease and major depressive disorder. They analyzed 234 TCM prescriptions for major depressive disorder, identifying the top 10 most commonly used herbs, reflecting 198 active ingredients. They then did comparative analysis for prospective ingredient targets related to both disorders. The analysis included exploring common and key targets and representative compounds for effective treatment. The combination of Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma), Gancao (Licorice) and Chaihu (Radix Bupleuri) constituted the major component of representative ingredients that were analyzed. The results yielded the identification of 30 common targets, 9 key targets, and 7 representative compounds relevant to both disorders. Their findings revealed these common targets were essential to regulate multiple pathways linked to both disorders, emphasizing the potential for a cohesive treatment approach. Furthermore, molecular docking studies unveiled the binding affinity of several natural chemicals, including quercetin, kaempferol, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, isorhamnetin, naringenin, and 8-isopentenyl-kaempferol, with key prospective targets. This suggests that a TCM combination could provide therapeutic advantages in treating both Alzheimer's disease and major depressive disorder.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Xiao Yao San has potential as an effective and safe alternative treatment for depression, offering multiple mechanisms of action for its antidepressant effects. The article discusses the use of Xiaoyaosan, a traditional Chinese medicine formulation, in the treatment of depression. It reviews recent evidence from animal and clinical studies, highlighting the pharmacological mechanisms and effective components involved in the antidepressant effects of Xiaoyaosan. The review explores various factors such as neurotransmitters, neuroplasticity, inflammatory response, gut-brain axis, oxidative stress, and autophagy that contribute to its therapeutic effects. The article emphasizes the potential of Xiaoyaosan as an alternative therapy for depression and provides an overview of its mechanisms of action.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that The traditional Chinese medicine phlegm-resolving method combined with either CPAP or health guidance improves obstructive sleep apnea symptoms more effectively than the applied methods alone. The research was conducted by methodically searching databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, CNKI, and VIP using specific search strategies. Data analysis was done using specialized software. For this investigation, thirteen randomized controlled trials were selected which involved a total of 882 patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. These trials compared the efficacy of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) phlegm-resolving method when combined with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or with health guidance. In terms of results, it was determined that both combinations of TCM phlegm-resolving method with either CPAP or health guidance significantly improved the apnea/hypopnea index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and lowest oxygen saturation. The effects were observed to be generally better with treatment duration greater than six weeks. During the treatment, except for one mild report of nausea, there were no significant side effects mentioned.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Various traditional Chinese medicine treatment strategies could potentially provide an effective alternative in slowing the progression of Chronic Kidney Disease. The study explores the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and various Chinese materia medica (CMM) to manage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The review delves deeper into the principles and treatment approaches of TCM in battling CKD, dictating that the disease's nature is deficient in the root and excessive in the branches, where deficiency and excess persist simultaneously throughout the condition. The main strategies employed by TCM in the treatment of CKD include invigorating Qi, tonifying kidneys, promoting blood circulation, removing stasis, eliminating heat and dampness, reducing turbidity, and controlling edema. The discussion highlights the effectiveness of several CMMs in treating CKD, which are undergirded by clinical evidence or experimental studies. Notably, it points out a correlation between the macroscopic view of TCM and the microscopic view of modern medicine. These TCM and CMM strategies are hailed for their multi-targeted and multi-functional characteristics, potentially providing an effective alternative treatment approach for CKD.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that The Jian Pi Yi Shen formula in traditional Chinese medicine demonstrates a protective effect on kidneys by modulating tryptophan metabolism and Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation. A chronic kidney disease (CKD) rat model was induced by feeding a diet containing 0.75% adenine over a four-week period. Concurrently, the Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen formula was administered every day starting from the third week and continued for four additional weeks. Multiple factors were evaluated including renal injury, fibrotic markers expression, and serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. The levels of 10 tryptophan metabolites in the rat serum and Aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling were detected and analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and Western blot analysis, respectively. The Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen formula demonstrated significant effects of reducing both serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and improving renal pathological injuries in the CKD rat model. It was found that the formula also regulated tryptophan metabolism and decreased the levels of tryptophan metabolites in the serum. Furthermore, the formula suppressed the overactivated Aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling in the kidney. These observations imply that the actions of the Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen formula could effectively protect against CKD.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine Online found that The potential of acupuncture as a non-pharmacological intervention to alleviate IVF-related state anxiety. This systematic review and meta-analysis focused on acupuncture's impact on IVF-related state anxiety. Eight trials involving 2253 participants were analyzed, with 1785 completing anxiety assessments. Results indicated a small yet significant reduction in state anxiety through acupuncture versus various controls, as measured by different scales after embryo transfer or oocyte retrieval. The standardized mean difference was -0.21, but evidence certainty was low due to limited studies and potential bias. Acupuncture emerges as a safe, drug-free option for alleviating IVF-related anxiety, although further research is needed to establish its efficacy amidst trial heterogeneity.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2022 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Parent-administered pediatric tuina is effective at reducing core symptoms of ADHD in preschool children and improves child appetite and sleep quality. This research involved a two-arm, parallel, open-label, pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, where 64 participants were assigned to two separate groups. Parents in the first group attended an online course teaching them pediatric tuina for ADHD, which they would then apply to their children at home. The second group of parents went through online training about a progressive muscle relaxation exercise and engaged in interactive physical activities with their children at home. Both groups carried out their respective interventions every other day for two month, each session lasting at least 20 minutes. The project measured the rate of recruitment, consent, participant adherence, retention and any adverse events. Upon investigation, both groups demonstrated improvements, with moderate effect size within each group. This was reflected in improvements in core hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms. Parents also noticed positive changes in their children’s eating habits, sleep quality, and overall parent-child relationship. No serious issues were reported in relation to implementing the parent-administered pediatric tuina or from the interactive physical activity sessions.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies have greater therapeutic effectiveness for knee osteoarthritis than sham treatments and generic acupuncture/moxibustion treatments. The researchers queried PubMed, Embase, and CNKI databases to find qualifying trials conducted between 2017 and 2022. All trials that employed acupuncture or moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis patients were included. The process of choosing studies to be included and extracting relevant data from them was carried out by two researchers independently. The data were analyzed using R 4.1.1. The meta-analysis included seventeen trials. The results of the analysis identified a correlation between several common forms of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies, as observed via a network meta-analysis. The findings showed that treatments involving acupuncture or moxibustion were more effective than sham treatments. Furthermore, when compared with standard acupuncture or moxibustion procedures, specific acupuncture or moxibustion procedures proved to be more effective.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine found that Acupuncture combined with moxibustion showed the best outcomes in terms of efficacy and quality of life improvement for adults with irritable bowel syndrome complicated with diarrhea. The study was conducted by searching major databases, including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, and database from China, for randomized controlled trials. These trials explored the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on individuals suffering from irritable bowel syndrome complicated with diarrhea. The selected studies underwent a rigorous bias assessment and their data were analyzed using Stata 16.0 statistical software. The analysis encompassed 21 studies overall, considering 1626 patients undergoing 8 different therapeutic measures. The study found that treatments such as acupuncture, warming needle moxibustion, and a combination of acupuncture with sandwiched or heat-sensitive moxibustion revealed significantly improved outcomes when compared to the drug pinaverium bromide. On the other hand, pinaverium bromide demonstrated the lowest efficacy and effect on quality of life. The most frequently used acupuncture points were GV20, GV29, ST 25, ST37, ST36, SP6, LR3, and CV12.

A published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese medicine exhibits fewer side effects while effectively controlling inflammation and serum uric acid in gout patients. In the methodology, the research used herbs as a primary resource, focusing on their phytochemicals. The study examined how these phytochemicals exert anti-inflammatory effects by inactivating the NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome, as well as lowering uric acid through the inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity and the up-regulation of URAT1 and GLUT9 expressions. Further, the study explored the relation of changes in intestinal flora and gout, with Chinese herbs acting like prebiotics to modify this flora. In terms of results, the study found an increase in the abundance of certain beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Bacteroidetes, and Prevotella, and a decrease in Proteus and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio post traditional Chinese medicine treatment. The alterations in the intestinal flora led to changes in its metabolites, which eventually impacted inflammatory signaling pathways, regulating gene expressions and suppressing xanthine oxidase activity. The study also observed the relation between the disruption of the intestinal barrier and the onset of gout.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Clinical and Nursing Research found that Traditional Chinese medication, acupuncture, and their integration can be used effectively for the treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) improving vision and visual field. Methodologies used in the study include treating RP patients with various Traditional Chinese Medicine preparations such as Ziyin Mingmu pill, Zhujing pill, Mingmu Dihuang decoction, Ginkgo Mingmu prescription, and Yiqi Mingmu pill. These preparations aimed to treat the syndrome of deficiency and excess by improving vision and visual field and enhancing blood supply to the eyes. Acupuncture techniques including the “two dragons playing with pearls” method and fire needling on the Fengchi point were also explored. Finally, various combinations of acupuncture and medication were tested for their efficacy in improving RP symptoms. In terms of results, the studies found noticeable clinical effects and therapeutic outcomes. Most of the investigated treatments showed improvement in visual acuity and visual field, contributing to a high total effective rate. The effectiveness of the remedies was compared with western medication, with the integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches demonstrating superior results. Each Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment method, acupuncture technique, or their combination demonstrated a significant enhancement in visual functions and patient symptoms.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology found that Acupuncture shows potential benefits in stroke rehabilitation, particularly for shoulder-hand syndrome post-stroke. Systematic review papers evaluating the effectiveness of any stroke rehabilitation intervention were identified by comprehensive searches across PubMed, EMBASE, CDSR, six Korean databases, and two Chinese databases, as performed up until October 2021. Specific quality assessment tools (AMSTAR 2) were employed to determine the fitness of systematic reviews for inclusion. Furthermore, graphic representations like bubble plots were utilized to effectively visualize and organize scientific evidence on different clinical topics, number of articles, patient inclusion, confidence, and demonstrated effectiveness of interventions. The research paper scrutinizes 48 carefully-selected systematic reviews, performed between 2015 and 2021. These reviews either concentrate on post-stroke cognitive impairment (four systematic reviews) or primarily address post-stroke motor function (forty-four systematic reviews). 19 different interventions from traditional Chinese medicine, with acupuncture being the most prevalent, are methodically inspected. The study notes that the quality of the selected systematic reviews was overall low or very low. Despite this, most reviews did indicate that traditional Chinese medicine interventions, such as acupuncture, appear to possess potential benefits for stroke rehabilitation, particularly with shoulder-hand syndrome.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal BioMed Research International found that Traditional Chinese Medicine may play a significant role in alleviating symptoms of chronic insomnia in elderly patients. The methodology of this research was based on a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis of a large number of Chinese and English databases including China Knowledge Network, Chongqing CQVIP, Wanfang database, Chinese Biomedical Literature database, PubMed and the Cochrane Library. The consistent inclusion criteria for all the researched articles were that they had to carry a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for treating chronic insomnia, and be current up to December 2021. The results of the meta-analysis, based on 16 selected studies involving 1260 elderly patients suffering from insomnia, revealed that TCM played a potential role in alleviating senile insomnia. Compared to the control group, the experimental group reported significant improvements in several sleep parameters including a reduction in sleep latency, number of awakenings, increased total sleep time, improved sleep efficiency, a lowered Pittsburgh sleep quality index, and a promising effective rate. The insomnia severity index also showed a beneficial downturn for the experimental group, suggesting TCM as an effective treatment option for insomnia in elderly patients.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicine was effective in treating coronary heart disease patients with anxiety or depression, particularly in improving angina pectoris, and its active compounds could act on the pathological targets of CHD, anxiety, and depression. The meta-analysis of 32 studies found that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) was more effective in treating anxiety and depression in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) compared to control groups, and the efficacy of CHM was similar to Western medicine. Additionally, CHM was shown to improve angina stability in CHD patients with anxiety or depression better than control and Western medicine groups. The study identified the main underlying mechanisms to involve anti-damage/apoptosis, anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, and maintaining neurotransmitter homeostasis, with certain herbal compounds being most related to CHD, anxiety, and depression.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders found that Acupuncture, when used as an integrative therapy in conjunction with traditional treatments, significantly improves the quality of life in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. In the methodology of this study, the PUBMED database was meticulously searched in September 2021, for English articles or at least ones with English abstracts, surfacing every article published from the inception of the literature up until the latter part of 2021. The search terms included keywords such as 'acupuncture', 'electroacupuncture', and 'multiple sclerosis' in the titles and abstracts. Out of the 75 articles discovered, just a little over a third, precisely 31 articles, were incorporated into this study. The discovery from the methodology outlined was that acupuncture provides an array of benefits for Multiple Sclerosis patients. These benefits are primarily seen in the regulation of the neuro-immune system, enhancement of life quality, fatigue reduction, improved bladder functionality, diminished limb spasm and pain, deceleration of disease progression, and decreased relapses. Traditional Chinese acupuncture and scalp acupuncture were observed to be particularly helpful in alleviating Multiple Sclerosis symptoms such as fatigue, neural functional deficits, pain, gait abnormalities, and bladder dysfunction, alongside reducing relapse occurrences. This makes acupuncture a viable integrated therapy option for patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal BioMed Research International found that Acupuncture can reduce pain and improve functional activities in patients with knee osteoarthritis, proving particularly beneficial for chronic sufferers and enhancing their quality of life. This study amassed randomized controlled trials from various databases including PubMed, Embase, and others to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in alleviating the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. The researchers conducted a meta-analysis using the Cochrane systematic review method by integrating Review Manager 5.4 and TSA 0.9.5.10 beta software, in conjunction with the GRADE approach for quality assessment of the evidence. They also implemented a trial sequential analysis to manage random errors and calculate the required information size. The meta-analysis included eleven randomized controlled trials involving 2484 patients. The results indicate a positive effect of acupuncture on reducing pain and enhancing patient functionality. Conversely, stiffness symptoms were not significantly alleviated by acupuncture. Moreover, the analysis demonstrated no substantial difference between the effectiveness of acupuncture and sham procedures in improving the psychological aspects of patients' quality of life. Furthermore, physical health improvement, as measured by SF-36 or SF-12, was not significantly different between groups receiving real or sham acupuncture. The trial sequential analysis graphs showed cumulative Z-curves crossing the traditional statistical level favoring acupuncture, highlighting its potential usefulness. Therefore, acupuncture shows promise as an alternative therapy for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found that Acupuncture can be a safe and effective alternative therapy to conventional drugs for improving sleep quality and relieving symptoms in patients with active depression. The research methodology involved a systematic review of randomized controlled trials focusing on the effect of acupuncture on depression-related insomnia. These studies were identified from seven different databases, dating up until December 2021. The papers included compared acupuncture to controls (waiting list or placebo/sham acupuncture) and conventional treatments (Western pharmacotherapy and/or cognitive-behavioral therapy) either alone or in combination with acupuncture. The analysis followed Cochrane criteria and encompassed a total of 21 trials, including 1,571 participants. Regarding results, it was found that acupuncture significantly reduced severity metrics of sleep quality and depression for patients who have active depression, compared with placebo-acupuncture. When contrasted with standard care (antidepressants and/or sleeping aids), acupuncture led to improvements in sleep quality and depressive symptom scores. However, for those suffering from the lingering symptoms of past or partially treated depression, the therapeutic benefits of acupuncture were minor and not statistically noteworthy. Unfortunately, no studies were found to review acupuncture's efficacy compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy or its potential synergistic effect when used concurrently.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Chinese Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine interventions, particularly those based on the Bai-Tou-Weng-Tang and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San formulas, show promise in treating Ulcerative Colitis. This study analyzed Ulcerative Colitis clinical trials that used Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) interventions by systematically searching seven electronic databases for articles published in English and Chinese until November 25, 2020. The focus was on different CHM treatments, including both single herbs and CHM formulas. Descriptive statistics were utilized to portray the characteristics of these studies, along with collecting commonly Chinese Medicine (CM) patterns of UC and frequently used CHM herbs and formulas. The data from a total of 2311 studies were compiled, most of which were Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) that utilized CHM formulas. Findings revealed that the most commonly reported CM pattern in UC was 'Large Intestine Dampness-Heat', with 'Spleen Deficiency' being the basic CM pattern-type reported. Top CHM treatment formulas included Bai-Tou-Weng-Tang and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San. The most frequently used single medicinals were Huang Lian and Bai Zhu. Common Western medicine compounds used in tandem with CHM treatments were Sulfasalazine and Mesalazine.

A published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Xiang Fu, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, shows significant antidepressant effects. The study reviewed the major antidepressant mechanisms and clinical applications of Cyperi Rhizoma, known as CR. It aimed to evaluate the pharmacological effects and the chemical compositions associated with these effects. The authors underwent an extensive literature search using "Cyperus rotundus L." as the search term across multiple electronic databases including Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and PubMed. In discussing the results, the researchers found that CR has broad application in alleviating symptoms related to stagnation of Qi, such as issues with the liver, stomach, and bowels, common in different countries. They identified the effective constituents of CR, including Aqueous extract, EtOH extract, essential oil, total oligomeric flavonoids, and five other extracts. These exhibited various pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, neuroprotective, antihemolytic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Notably, specific components like α-cyperone and nootkatone showed antidepressant effects. Through synthesizing this scientific information, they concluded that CR holds potential as a herbal medicine to develop antidepressant drugs with fewer side effects.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Among patients with PCOS, the combined use of acupuncture and moxibustion as a complementary therapy has additional efficacy regarding increased pregnancy and ovulation rates and reduced miscarriage rate. The systematic review included 25 RCTs assessing the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with moxibustion in treating PCOS, and all of them contributed data to the meta-analysis. Evidence of an association between acupuncture and moxibustion therapy and greater increases in the pregnancy rate and ovulation rate and greater reductions in the miscarriage rate and ovarian volume was found. Additionally, patients receiving acupuncture and moxibustion also exhibited greater improvements in some sex hormones (LH level, LH/FSH ratio and total testosterone level) and indicators related to metabolic disorders (fasting insulin level and BMI). Nevertheless, acupoint stimulation therapy had no significant effect on the levels of FSH, DHEAS, or oestradiol. In this systematic review, the pregnancy rate among patients who received acupuncture combined with moxibustion reached 50.9%. This value represents a substantial increase compared to that of patients who did not receive acupuncture (27.5%), with an RR of 1.81 and a 4.9% additional increase compared with patients receiving acupuncture + active drugs in the PCOSAct trial (46.0%).

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Probiotics combined with traditional Chinese medicine have shown higher rates of efficiency in the treatment of ulcerative colitis than when each is used individually. For the methodology, the researchers utilized a comprehensive search of multiple databases such as Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, China Academic Journals, Wan-fang database, Chinese biomedical literature service system, and Chinese Science and Technology Journals. They designed subgroup analysis in alignment with distinct control drugs, treatment lengths, and types of probiotics, using Review Manager software for statistical analysis. In discussing the results, the study analyzed fourteen original studies containing over a thousand patients. It concluded that the combination of probiotics with traditional Chinese medicine was more effective than 5-aminosalicylic acid, probiotics, or traditional Chinese medicine used individually. Further, this combination was found to suppress intestinal inflammation, diminish the frequency of recurrence, and lower the occurrence of adverse events. The results indicated that a mixture of different probiotics was more effective than a single strain.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Integrative Medicine Research found that Some complementary approaches, such as massage and herbal ointments, show promise in reducing postpartum pain. This passage discusses a systematic review aimed at examining the effectiveness and safety of non-pharmacological methods for managing postpartum pain in women. The review included 30 trials involving both first-time and experienced mothers who experienced pain in the two weeks following childbirth. The primary focus was on pain reduction. The review found that massage showed a reduction in pain for women who had undergone caesarean births within the first 24 hours postpartum and at seven days postpartum. Additionally, herbal ointments were found to reduce perineal pain for women who had received an episiotomy within the first 24 hours and at 14 days postpartum. However, the number of trials reporting on safety was limited, and the overall quality of evidence was deemed very low. The conclusion emphasizes the need for further high-quality trials to assess the safety and effectiveness of herbal ointment and massage during the early postpartum period.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2022 in the journal EClinicalMedicine found that Acupuncture effectively induced and sustained remission in active Crohn's disease patients, linked to an increase in anti-inflammatory gut bacteria and improved intestinal barrier. In a 48-week randomized, sham controlled, parallel-group clinical trial conducted at a Chinese tertiary outpatient clinic, 66 drug-resistant, mild to moderately active Crohn's disease patients were randomly assigned equally to a control or acupuncture plus moxibustion treatment group. Three treatment sessions were provided weekly for 12 weeks, followed by 36 weeks of follow-up. The acupuncture treatment was significantly more effective than the sham treatment in terms of clinical remission and response rates by week 12, results which were maintained at week 48. The acupuncture group also displayed lower Crohn's disease activity indices and C-reactive protein levels and a decreased recurrence rate. Post-treatment, this group demonstrated an increase in the diversity and relative abundance of intestinal microbiota, particularly anti-inflammatory bacteria, as well as reduced plasma levels of diamine oxidase, lipopolysaccharide, and Th1/Th17 related cytokines.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, can provide superior pain relief and faster recovery for HIV-related Herpes Zoster compared to regular drugs. The review began by searching nine electronic databases for randomized controlled trials focused on the use of traditional Chinese medicine in treating HIV-associated Herpes Zoster. Two independent authors extracted data on interventions and outcomes, and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of the trials. Meta-analyses were subsequently performed using specific software. Results of the review showed that in general, the use of Chinese herbal medicine resulted in lower pain intensity and shorter herpes-related pain duration. Additionally, patients treated with this type of medicine and combined treatments recorded lower incidences of postherpetic neuralgia. The cure rate, defined as the complete absence of pain and herpes, also significantly improved with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, compared to regular drugs. Notably, four trials reported on side effects, and no severe adverse events were mentioned.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Physiology found that Moxibustion, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, appears to be an effective and safe treatment for knee osteoarthritis. The researchers used a series of databases including Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and others to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of previous systematic reviews on the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with moxibustion. They employed the Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 to assess the methodological quality, Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for reporting quality, and ROBIS Tool to evaluate the risk of bias in the systematic reviews. They also assessed the strength of evidence with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation tool and carried out a meta-analysis of the total effectiveness rate. From this process, 10 systematic reviews were selected that had met their criteria. These reviews included the results of 57 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 5,149 participants. However, these reviews were found to have several critical deficiencies, scoring low on the quality scale used. Despite this, moxibustion, and its combination treatment, were shown to improve the total effectiveness rate in knee osteoarthritis. Eight of the reviews had reported adverse events but none were classified as serious in either the moxibustion group or control group.

A Clinical Study published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science found that The combination of Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) and Shen Ling Bai Zhu San is more effective in treating pediatric diarrhea due to spleen deficiency than Shen Ling Bai Zhu San alone. Methodology: The paper reports on a clinical trial involving a total of 105 children diagnosed with diarrhea due to spleen deficiency. These children were randomly allocated into two separate groups: a control group and an observation group. The control group, consisting of 52 children, were exclusively treated with Shen Ling Bai Zhu San orally. The observation group, on the other hand, consisted of 53 children who received an additional Tuina treatment along with Shen Ling Bai Zhu San. Results: After implementing the treatments, it was found that every child in the observation group showed improvement, compared to 90% improvement rate in the control group. This correlated to a decrease in scores of primary and secondary symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine in both groups post-treatment. Furthermore, the children in the observation group who received both treatments had even lower symptom scores than the control group who only received Shen Ling Bai Zhu San. The treatments were also well-tolerated with no significant adverse reactions reported.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2022 in the journal Annals of Medicine found that The Gui Zhi-Shao Yao herb pair in traditional Chinese medicine potentially treats chronic pain, anxiety, and depression through interactions with nine key targets. The methodology in this research utilised network pharmacology to explore the active components of the "Gui Zhi-Shao Yao" herb pair and their possible targets. Initially, 15 active compounds were identified through a series of analysis which revealed about 130 potential targets. By considering the intersections between the targets of the "Gui Zhi-Shao Yao" herb pair and chronic pain, anxiety disorder, and mental depression, nine vital targets were identified and listed in order of importance. The results discussion revealed that the "Gui Zhi-Shao Yao" herb pairing acted on the nine identified key targets to alleviate chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. Gene ontology and pathway analysis demonstrated that there were 11 primary pathways, including AGE-RAGE signalling pathway, IL-17 signalling pathway, and TNF signalling pathway. These pathways appear to be actively involved in the pathological processes, providing a holistic understanding of how the "Gui Zhi-Shao Yao" herb pair functions therapeutically.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture can regulate both innate and adaptive immunity of IBD patients, including the balance of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells, and also modulate intestinal flora. The methodology of the research revolved around a review of existing studies related to the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) via acupuncture. The broad scope of exploration focused on the effects of acupuncture on the immunomodulatory mechanism inherent in these patients. The review pursued a detailed study of how acupuncture directly influenced both the innate and adaptive immunity systems in IBD patients as well as its regulation on their intestinal flora. The results discussion revealed that acupuncture had multiple immunomodulatory effects on IBD patients. On one hand, it influenced their innate immunity by regulating elements such as their intestinal epithelial barriers, toll-like receptors, NLRP3 inflammasomes, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. On the other hand, it affected their adaptive immunity by modulating the balance of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells. Furthermore, an interesting revelation from the study was that acupuncture could also significantly regulate the intestinal flora of the patients.

A Cohort Study published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that The majority of reproductive age women with endometriosis in Taiwan use traditional Chinese medicine, specifically Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan, to relieve related symptoms. The methodology of this study involved analyzing the use of TCM among women with endometriosis in Taiwan. Researchers evaluated the usage, frequency of service, and the specific Chinese herbal products prescribed for endometriosis using a randomly sampled cohort of 1,000,000 beneficiaries from the National Health Insurance Research Database. In terms of results, it was found that most women with endometriosis used TCM in dealing with their symptoms. These women were more likely to seek out TCM treatment than those without symptoms. Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan, a Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill known for its sedative and anti-inflammatory properties, was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula. This specific TCM plays a significant role in treating the discomfort associated with endometriosis, showing a preference towards natural remedies over conventional ones.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal International Review of Neurobiology found that Adzuki and Mung beans have great potential as functional foods for health promotion and disease prevention, offering an excellent source of essential nutrients and biodiversity for sustainable agriculture. This study explores the health benefits and agricultural sustainability of adzuki and mung beans. Adzuki beans, traditionally used in traditional Chinese medicine, provide essential fatty acids, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals promoting health and combating disease. These beans also have natural nitrogen-fixing properties beneficial to cropping systems. Similarly, mung beans contribute protein and nitrogen to agriculture, supporting soil health and crop yields. They also offer health benefits including antioxidant, antifungal, antiinflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Additionally, both adzuki and mung beans, through biological nitrogen fixation, may lessen reliance on chemical fertilizers, promoting environmental and economic sustainability. The results suggest both adzuki and mung beans can play a significant role in health promotion and in sustainable agriculture. Influencing health with their nutrient richness and variety, these beans provide essential fatty acids, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals. With their nitrogen-fixing properties, they can enhance soil quality and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. Simultaneously, by being able to restore organic matter to the soil, they can curb pests and disease issues. Thus, these beans serve as a viable economic and environmental option for future agricultural systems while promoting health.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2022 in the journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, significantly improving symptoms without needing relief medication or causing side effects. The study was a two-phase, single-blind, crossover clinical trial where randomly assigned subjects, split into two groups, were treated with either real or sham acupuncture. All participants received treatment thrice a week for four weeks straight before being flipped onto the other form of treatment for another four uninterrupted weeks without a washout period. The real acupuncture treatment plan was guided by Chinese Medicine Theory. The subjects' responses were measured at various stages - before, during, and after the trials. In the study, significant improvement was marked in the subjective symptom scores, both nasal and non-nasal, between the group that received the genuine acupuncture and the sham treatment. It was noteworthy, however, that no marked differences were found in the relief medication scores between the two groups. There were also no recorded side effects from either the real or sham acupuncture groups. This suggests that acupuncture proves to be a safe and effective alternative for managing Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis.

A Theoretical Article published in 2022 in the journal Traditional Medicine Research found that The jujube tree bears fruit endowed with substantial nutritional value and contains numerous phytochemical components with reported antioxidant, anti-cancer and neuroprotective properties. The research implemented an analysis of the jujube tree, its fruit, and its long history of usage in traditional medicine, focusing primarily on its use in traditional Persian and Chinese medicines. The varied geographical distribution of the tree was studied, especially its presence in tropical and subtropical regions across Europe and Asia. Researchers took into account the tree’s resilience to soil salinity and alkalinity as part of its general characteristics. The core of the study involved an in-depth investigation into the nutritional composition and pharmacological properties of the jujube fruit. The fruit's contents were categorized into proteins, minerals, vitamins, organic acids, and carbohydrates. Furthermore, a range of phytochemical components such as polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, and carotenoids were identified. Research noted both the fruit's nutraceutical and cosmeceutical potential. It also explored the medicinal properties of all elements of the plant, not just the fruit. The physiological impacts of the jujube were also evaluated across various medical contexts, seeking to understand its impact on different organs and tissues, as well as its influence on various health conditions and concerns. Culminating in the identification of antioxidant, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective properties. Noteworthy, are also its health-promoting effects, with strong references to anti-aging properties.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research found that Compared with conventional treatment, acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy can significantly reduce the incidence of post-stroke fatigue. A total of 6 RCTs were included in this study, including 426 cases (213 cases in the treatment group and 213 cases in the control group). Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that acupuncture combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy is an effective therapy for patients suffering from post-stroke fatigue, which is suitable for clinical promotion and use. However, due to methodological weakness and limited number of RCTs, the results should be interpreted cautiously. Further clinical trials with large sample sizes and a rigorous design are needed.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Annals of Palliative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese Medicine shows promise in preventing cholelithiasis recurrence post lithotripsy Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may enhance prognosis for cholelithiasis patients following gallbladder-preserving lithotripsy. This systematic review analyzed TCM's efficacy and safety in this context, along with functional pathway enrichment analysis of TCM target genes. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 926 participants were included. Meta-analysis indicated TCM reduced cholelithiasis recurrence, complications, gallbladder wall thickness, and contraction degree. No significant adverse reactions were noted. The study suggested that TCM, particularly the flavonoid glycoside naringin from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, could be beneficial post-gallbladder-preserving lithotripsy, but further high-quality RCTs are needed for a conclusive assessment.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Luteolin, a component of traditional Chinese medicine herb Zi Su Ye, has been found to alleviate kidney disease stage 3-5 by reducing renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis. By using network pharmacology, the research identified the active components of a traditional Chinese medicine herb used for treating chronic kidney disease stages 3-5. Active components were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography and enriched for substantial analysis. Thereafter, critical components were verified using molecular docking and experimentations. The key therapeutic targets were observed from a constructed PPI network, and further focused on five core nodes: AKT1, TP53, IL6, TNF, and MAPK1. In discussing the results, it was revealed that 19 active components were recognized, interlinking with 108 targets of chronic kidney disease stages 3-5. The potential regulation of various biological functions by these targets was suggested. Specifically, apoptosis, T cell receptor, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways would be modulated. Molecular docking supported the premise that active components dock successfully with corresponding targets. Luteolin emerged as the most effective component in managing adriamycin-induced renal tubular apoptosis by affecting oxidative stress and downgrading the MAPK and p53 pathways.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2021 in the journal Journal of Trauma Nursing found that Auricular acupressure may be a safe and effective technique for reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress in healthcare workers. In this prospective randomized trial with an open, parallel-group design, participants were randomized to receive one of three interventions: auricular acupuncture, auricular seed acupressure, or auricular massage. Interventions took place over a period of 3 weeks at a 334-bed Level II pediatric trauma center. Using a pre-/posttest design, the researchers analyzed self-reported scores from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Professional Quality of Life scale, and the Caring Ability Inventory. The study found that auricular seed acupressure was associated with a reduction in burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Importantly, this effect remained even after adjusting for individual pretest scores. Attempts at achieving significant effects on anxiety levels, professional quality of life, and caring ability, however, did not yield any significant improvement. Overall, the data suggest that auricular acupressure is a very effective strategy for reducing work-related stress among health care staff.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Chinese medicine's unique immune regulation, intestinal flora regulation, and improved intestinal barrier function offer new approaches to managing chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The study involved a comprehensive review of literature from peer-reviewed and clinical databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Springer LINK, Wan-fang database, the Chinese Biomedicine Database, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Keywords such as inflammatory bowel disease (including Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) and Chinese medicine were used, focusing on studies conducted between 1997 and 2021, while excluding those that did not meet specific criteria. The review primarily focused on the pathogenesis of IBD and how Chinese medicine plays a role in its treatment, particularly in immune regulation, intestinal flora regulation, and improvement of intestinal barrier function. The collective findings present exciting progress in understanding how multi-herbal Chinese medicine can potentially contribute to the treatment of IBD.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Chinese medicine presents unique advantages in managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) through immune regulation, intestinal flora regulation, and improvement of intestinal barrier function. In their research, the researchers conducted a systematic review of studies that assessed the effects and mechanics of Chinese medicine in treating IBD. They performed a literature search on various peer-reviewed and clinical databases, including reputable international and Chinese sources. The keywords used for this comprehensive search included "inflammatory bowel disease", "Ulcerative colitis", "Crohn's disease", and "Chinese medicine". Only articles from the period of 1997-2021 that met their exclusion criteria were chosen for the review. The compiled research illuminates recent progression in using Chinese medicine to treat IBD. Certain studies specifically look at how Chinese medicine impacts immune regulation, intestinal flora regulation, and the enhancement of intestinal barrier function in IBD patients. This information could serve as a key reference for further exploration regarding the potential of classical multi-herbal Chinese medicine in treating IBD.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal The Anatomical Record found that Acupuncture, either alone or combined with antidepressants can effectively treat depression, and offers faster onset and longer-lasting efficacy compared to antidepressants. A thorough literature search has been facilitated via the PubMed bibliographic search engine to assess the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture therapy in treating depression. The process examined the study designs, intervention methods, control groups, as well as the results and safety of the acupuncture trials. Acupuncture showed significant positive impact on patients' depressive symptoms whether used alone or as an adjunct to antidepressants. It proved to have a rapid onset speed and enduring efficacy, surpassing that of antidepressants. The relief from depression symptoms was evident even in the augmentation of antidepressants. Furthermore, qualifications of the acupuncturist, choice of acupoints, and use of intervention measures seem to be key factors dictating efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of depression.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2021 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that Traditional Chinese Medicine may potentially be a viable treatment option for ulcerative colitis, but its effectiveness varies depending on the method of administration applied. The authors conducted an extensive electronic literature search across six databases to find systematic reviews about the use of various Chinese medicine therapies for ulcerative colitis. They evaluated the reviews based on the methodology used for assessing their quality. Nine interventions fit the eligibility criteria from the 73 systematic reviews used for the study. It was found that the disease stages of patients with ulcerative colitis ranged greatly and therefore, influenced the outcomes of various treatment approaches. The authors found that the results mostly favored the method of intervention used, with oral administration combined with an enema being the most widely preferred administration route. Notably, many of the reviews didn't report essential factors such as the disease's location, the classification, and the intervention's route of administration. The current evidence indicates that while TCM could be a treatment for UC, it should be applied cautiously due to these inconsistencies.

A Cohort Study published in 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that Stroke patients who received acupuncture had a lesser risk of insomnia across various demographic and medical variables. The study data was derived from the case database of a Chinese hospital, featuring stroke patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2019. These patients were sorted into two groups: one which received acupuncture and one which did not. The sorting was performed using a propensity score matching technique. Comparisons were made between the two groups using the incidence of insomnia as the primary indicator, with Cox regression analysis and the Kaplan-Meier method serving as the main analytical tools. The results indicated that stroke patients who underwent acupuncture treatments were less susceptible to insomnia as compared to counterparts who didn't receive acupuncture treatment. This decrease in the incidence of insomnia was observed across various categories such as genders, age groups, stroke types and stroke locations, with the acupuncture group displaying a significantly lesser cumulative incidence of insomnia.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Chinese Medicine found that With a multi-ingredient and multi-target-pathway pharmacological action, Chinese medicine compounds are compatible with the complex pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to mitigate it. In the analysis of 88 herbal prescriptions screened out by Ding et al. collected from databases, the top 3 drug combinations are “Hawthorn-Rhizoma Alismatis”, “Rhizoma Alismatis-Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza” and “Hawthorn-Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza”, with a high frequency of over 40 in 88 prescriptions. The digestant drug Shan Zha (Hawthorn) mainly improve lipid metabolism and insulin resistance, and protect against oxidative stress in NAFLD. The damp-clearing drug Ze Xie (Rhizoma Alismatis) could alleviate lipidosis as well. Besides, it also has effects on liver regeneration, inflammation and autophagy, which supplement to the effect of Hawthorn. On the other hand, the blood-activating and stasis-eliminating drug Dan Shen (Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza) have more effects on lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death and fibrosis. These are complementary to the effects of Hawthorn and/or Rhizoma Alismatis. As shown in Fig. 3, the combinations of three herbs play a more comprehensive role in treating NAFLD than single herb.

A Experimental Study published in 2021 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that The Licorice and Jujube formula is seen as commonly used and potentially effective for treating menopausal symptoms as per classical Chinese medicine. The methodology of this study involved exploring classical Chinese medicine textbooks to find the most frequent herbal mix used for symptoms similar to menopause. The approach taken was to sort and identify the formulas from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a comprehensive resource in this field. Following this, a thorough review of randomized controlled trials was performed in order to determine the efficacy of the most common formula. In terms of results, it was discovered that the Licorice and Jujube formula (LJF) was the most commonly found, mentioned in 36% of the analyzed references. The review of controlled trials revealed that the LJF might be effectively utilized for the improvement of sleep-related symptoms. Additionally, experimental studies hinted at potential benefits of the LJF, including sedative, antidepressant-like, estrogenic, and antiprogestogenic effects.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Annals of Palliative Medicine found that Chinese medicine could effectively improve thyroid function and the clinical symptoms of patients with diabetic nephropathy. A meta-analysis conducted to evaluate the thyroid function of patients with DN found that it was impaired to varying degrees. Analysis of the clinical efficacy of TCM intervention in the treatment of DN showed that TCM could effectively improve the clinical symptoms of patients and improve the treatment effect. However, due to the small sample size, only the curative effect after the treatment was analyzed, and the long-term efficacy of TCM intervention in the treatment of DN remains unknown. Follow-up research of a higher quality involving larger samples, and multi-center RCT trials should be carried out to supplement the deficiencies of this research, and more accurately evaluate the clinical efficacy of TCM intervention in the treatment of DN.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that A total of 18 publications were included, all indicating improved PCOS symptoms with Chinese medicine compared to control groups. The study's results are presented in this section. The initial search yielded 312 relevant articles, out of which 163 were screened after removing duplicates. These articles were primarily in Chinese (122) and English (35). Eventually, 18 articles were included in the study, all of which were written in Chinese. The characteristics of these included studies were analyzed, revealing that 14 were journal articles and four were theses. None of the studies were registered in databases like Cochrane Library or PROSPERO. The quality evaluation of the included systematic reviews was performed using AMSTAR2 and GRADE tools. The AMSTAR2 assessment indicated varying completeness in reporting criteria, with overall low credibility of the included systematic reviews. The quality-of-evidence ratings for outcome indicators were mostly moderate, low, or very low due to research limitations, biases, and inadequate blinding in reviews involving randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome indicators, including pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, clinical efficiency, hormone levels, and adverse reactions, were evaluated across various reviews. The study concluded that current evidence doesn't strongly support the combined use of Chinese and Western medicine for treating PCOS. The study highlights the need for higher quality clinical trials and systematic reviews to improve the credibility and reliability of evidence in this field.

A published in 2021 in the journal Science Bulletin found that Qingfei Paidu Decoction might significantly inhibit IL-6 and TNF-α signaling pathways in regulating COVID-19-related cytokine storm. We evaluated the effects of 578 herbs and all 338 reported anti-COVID-19 TCM formulae on cytokine storm-related signaling pathways, and identified the key targets of the relevant pathways and potential active ingredients in these herbs. A total of 16 herbs was identified to have a significant inhibitory effect on the IL-6 pathway, while 37 herbs suppress the TNF-α pathway significantly. In the heatmap of gene expression induced by these herbs, more than half of the genes are down-regulated, suggesting that these herbs have a significant inhibitory effect on the expression of cytokine storm-related genes. By combining the HTS2 assay and herb scoring results, we constructed a formula-herb-gene-pathway network diagram of Qingfei Paidu Decoction. In this formula, we identified 4 herbs with an inhibitory effect on the IL-6 or TNF-α pathways, including Guizhi, which significantly inhibits the IL-6 pathway, and Shegan, Baizhu, and Zexie, which significantly inhibit the TNF-α pathway.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicines or their components can potentially delay aging by regulating aging-related genes via different signaling pathways. The methodology for this paper involved conducting a systematic literature review of studies published in the past five years. The databases used for this purpose included PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Out of a total of 2485 papers initially located, 212 were selectively screened based on the elimination of duplicate entries and their title relevance. The final selection comprised 23 studies suitable for the review. Among these studies, 13 utilized mice as the animal model, while 10 employed alternative animal models or cell lines. The results showed that Chinese herbal medicine and their active components play a significant role in combating aging. This is achieved through the regulation of genes associated with aging via various signaling pathways. This leads to the conclusion that there is significant potential for the development of Chinese herbal medicines as antiaging drugs, or for their utilization within the medical cosmetology industry.

A published in 2021 in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy found that Traditional Chinese medicine could reduce the all-cause mortality in COVID-19 patients, inhibit virus replication and transcription, and attenuate the cytokine storm and immune deficiency caused by the SARS-CoV-2. Presently, there is good evidence that TCM can effectively alleviate the symptoms of patients with suspected and confirmed COVID-19, delay the progression from mild and moderate to severe and critical disease, and reduce severe and critical all-cause mortality. The role of TCM is related to affecting the transcription, replication, and binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the host and attenuating the cytokine storm and weak immunity in patients with COVID-19.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that Meta-analysis results showed that Tuina was superior to drugs for improving the effectiveness rate for tension-type headache. Seven studies were included with a total sample of 1228 individuals. Meta-analysis results showed that Tuina was superior to drugs for improving the effectiveness rate. A visual analog scale (VAS) score of Tuina was significantly lower than that of drugs. The trial sequential analysis showed that the effectiveness of Tuina for tension-type headache was accurate. Adverse events were tolerable. Tuina has a certain effect in treating tension headache. However, due to the low level of methodological quality included in the article, this conclusion should be considered cautiously.

A published in 2021 in the journal Food Research International found that This review further put forward the possibility that cold-hot nature of food and Chinese medicine exert different biological effects on the inflammatory response via regulating the signaling pathways viz. NF-κB and MAPK. This review explored that the cold and hot natures are not only linked to the chemical components such as water, carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids, but also correlated to the biological effects, comprising of energy metabolism, inflammation response, oxidation reaction, immune response, and cell growth and proliferation. Besides, this review further put forward the possibility that cold-hot nature of food and Chinese medicine exert different biological effects on the inflammatory response via regulating the signaling pathways viz. NF-κB and MAPK. More extensive studies are needed to consider the overall connections between both the biological effects and chemical components and how food processing affects the cold-hot nature of the food.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found that Based on the current evidence, acupuncture appears to be beneficial to increase the clinical pregnancy rate in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. This study reviews the SRs of acupuncture for infertile women undergoing IVF-ET. Based on the current evidence, acupuncture appears to be beneficial to increase the CPR in women undergoing IVF-ET. However, there are severe heterogeneity and methodological quality defects, which limit the reliability of results. Further, high-quality primary studies are still needed.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that The fresh rhizoma of Roscoe, a traditional Chinese medicine, has proven effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems and has antibacterial, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. The methodology for this comprehensive review encompased the exploration of the botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens. This involved studying over 100 chemical compounds found in the fresh rhizoma of Roscoe, including gingerols, essential oils, and diarylheptanoids among others. Various modern scientific methods and principles were employed in order to establish a broad understanding of the medicinal properties and potential applications of the herb. The results of the review demonstrated the multitudinous health benefits of Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens. In particular, it has thoroughly documented pharmacological effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Moreover, it has been shown to have antiemetic, antibacterial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. The study reinforced the wide usage of the herb in traditional Chinese medicine and underscored the versatility of its applications. However, it also revealed disparities in the evaluation standards of the herb's quality and clinical efficacy.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion found that Chinese medicine formulas for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease were superior to antioxidants in alanine aminotransferase normalization. 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.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Physical Activity and Health found that All schools of Tai Chi chuan can improve the mental health of the elderly. Tai Chi's potential mechanisms include reducing anxiety, relieving depression and stress, enhancing pulmonary and cardiovascular function, enhancing immunity and improving quality of life.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2021 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology found that Intensive electroacupuncture appears to reduce pain and improve function in knee osteoarthritis patients more effectively than sham acupuncture. In this multicenter research, individuals suffering from knee osteoarthritis were randomly selected to receive one of three treatments thrice weekly, over an eight-week period: electroacupuncture, manual acupuncture, or sham acupuncture. A double-blind model was enforced where participants, outcome assessors, and statisticians remained unaware of the specific treatment group allocations. The primary benchmark of success was the response rate, which gauged the ratio of participants who noted a minimum clinically important improvement in both pain and function by the eighth week. In the study involving 480 participants, 442 were evaluated for the effectiveness of treatment. The response rates varied among the groups at week 8: with electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture groups reporting higher rates of improvement compared to the sham acupuncture group. On continued assessment at weeks 16 and 26, these higher response rates were sustained in both the electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture groups. Among the patients, those who received intensive electroacupuncture reported less pain and better function at week 8 compared to those who received sham acupuncture, and these effects persisted through week 26. Whereas, intensive manual acupuncture did not show any significant benefits at week 8 but showed improvement in the follow-up period.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Chinese Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicines might have various beneficial effects for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease such as improving TCM syndrome score, liver function, and body lipid profile. A total of 53 RCTs involving 5997 participants with NAFLD were included in this review. Each included RCT tested a different TCMs giving a total of 53 TCMs identified in this study. Based on the evaluation of the RCT results, TCMs might have various beneficial effects such as improving TCM syndrome score, liver function, and body lipid profile. A range of non-serious, reversible adverse effects associated with the use of TCMs were also reported. However, no conclusion about the efficacy and safety of TCMs in NAFLD can be made. The quality of reporting was generally poor and the risks of bias was mostly uncertain in all trials. There is some evidence from RCTs that supported the effectiveness and safety of TCMs for NAFLD. However, no conclusive recommendations can be made due to the questionable quality of the RCTs. Improvement in the RCT protocol, the use of a larger sample size, a setting of multicenter, and a more focused approach in selecting TCMs are recommended for developing high quality evidence about the use of TCMs in managing NAFLD.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Chinese Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicines such as Shenge formula, Shugan Jianpi Huatan decoction and Heze lipid lowing oral liquid decoction might have positive effects on NAFLD by improving TCM syndrome scores, liver function, and body lipid profile. A total of 53 RCTs involving 5997 participants with NAFLD were included in this review. Each included RCT tested a different TCMs giving a total of 53 TCMs identified in this study. Based on the evaluation of the RCT results, TCMs might have various beneficial effects such as improving TCM syndrome score, liver function, and body lipid profile. A range of non-serious, reversible adverse effects associated with the use of TCMs were also reported. However, no conclusion about the efficacy and safety of TCMs in NAFLD can be made. The quality of reporting was generally poor and the risks of bias was mostly uncertain in all trials.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that Acupuncture improves clinical outcomes in uremic pruritus, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, and itch. A systematic review published in 2015 found that acupuncture improves outcomes in several dermatological diseases. We performed a systematic review of studies that have been done since then to present updated evidence. Results showed that acupuncture improves clinical outcomes in uremic pruritus, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, and itch. Acupuncture does not significantly reduce postoperative itch in patients undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. While there are some promising studies that support the use of acupuncture for skin diseases, additional large-scale, randomized, sham-controlled trials need to be performed to present consistent high-level evidence of acupuncture's role in dermatology.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Tzu Chi Medical Journal found that Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can effectively treat dry eye disease (DED), and combining TCM with Western medicine can significantly enhance therapeutic effects and reduce treatment costs. The researchers carried out a comprehensive review of studies conducted from 2001 to 2020, focusing on the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and an integration of Chinese and Western medicine for the treatment of DED. Four categories of Chinese medicines were identified for their application in treating DED: anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, hormone-like agents, and cell-repairing agents. In addition, they also acknowledged the usage of compound herbs like Chi-Ju-Di-Huang-Wan and Qiming granule for alleviating dry eye symptoms. The researchers arrived at significant findings from their examination of multiple studies. The use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has shown effective results in the treatment of Dry Eye Disease (DED). Moreover, the integration of TCM with Western medicine has amplified the therapeutic effects in patients while making the treatment cost-effective. This suggests that not only can TCM be a promising approach for treating DED, but a combined treatment strategy with Western medicine can also lead to substantial improvements in curing the condition.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Tian Ma, a traditional Chinese medicine, shows promise as a complementary therapy for aging-related diseases, including Alzheimer's and cerebrocardiovascular diseases. This study utilized previous research to methodically analyze the efficacy and safety of Tian Ma in treating aging-related diseases. Investigations spanned across various well-structured disease models, with particularly close attention paid to Alzheimer's Disease. The study trialed not just on its raw form, but also explored how it performs within different herbal preparations and as pure natural extracts. The study's findings indicate that Tian Ma might present a viable alternative treatment for aging-related cerebrocardiovascular diseases and dementia. Specifically, its promising attributes were most noticeable in the context of complementary therapy for Alzheimer's Disease. The potential effectiveness of Tian Ma seems to be maintained across the various preparations, whether in herbal mixtures or as a pure natural product. The study thus concludes on a hopeful note regarding the use of Tian Ma in combatting debilitating age-linked conditions.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology found that Acupuncture may be a clinically effective and safe treatment for Parkinson's disease. In this study, a thorough search was done in eight different databases to find systematic reviews and meta-analyses that investigated the potential benefits of acupuncture for treating Parkinson's disease. The methodological quality of these collected reviews was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 checklist, and the quality of the evidence provided by the reviews was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Of the 11 reviews analysed, all were regarded as very low-quality studies on the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 checklist. However, despite the limited quality, these reviews provide a narrative analysis that suggests acupuncture may offer a safe and effective treatment for Parkinson's disease. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation scale categorized the evidence quality as very low to moderate. Despite the overall low evidence and methodological quality, it is highlighted that acupuncture may still hold potential as a treatment option for Parkinson's disease. It's also noted that the results should be interpreted with caution due to the low quality of the studies included.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that This study showed that the intervention time was concentrated at 4–8 weeks, mainly through Chinese herbal medicine for the prevention and treatment of elderly hypertension and the complications. We systematically retrieved and summarised clinical studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the prevention and treatment of essential hypertension (EH) using the evidence map. We aimed to explore the evidence distribution, identify gaps in evidence, and inform on future research priorities. Clinical studies, systematic reviews, guidelines, and pathway studies related to TCM for the prevention and treatment of EH, published between January 2000 and December 2019, were included from databases CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The distribution of evidence was analysed using text descriptions, tables, and graphs. A total of 9,403 articles were included, including 5,920 randomised controlled studies (RCTs), 16 guidelines, expert consensus and path studies, and 139 systematic reviews (SRs). A total of 10 high-quality studies were retrieved, where qigong (20 RCTs), zhengan xifeng decoction (6 RCTs), Liuwei Dihuang pill (6 RCTs), and Chinese herbal medicine (24 RCTs) were considered to have evidence of potential positive effects. Xuefu zhuyu decoction (15 RCTs) was considered a positive effect; i.e., we are confident in estimating the research results.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Pain Research and Management found that The use of various treatments of traditional Chinese medicine can significantly improve the level of the total effective rate and reduce the occurrence of recurrence rate in the later stage of osteoarthritis treatment. These effects are mediated by a combination of several mechanisms. This method of treatment with TCM can reduce pain, improve their ability to move, and improve their living standards by reducing the level of VAS, WOMAC, SSTCM, SS, and Lequesne and increasing the level of Lysholm. TCM therapy can reduce inflammation and exert anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, MMP-3, ESR, and CRP and increasing TGF-β. TCM therapy can increase BGP, FGF-2, IGF-1, and OPG and reduce BMP-7 and RANKL levels to improve bone metabolism in order to achieve the balance of bone metabolism. The TCM therapy can also reduce the levels of VEGF and Ang I, reduce cartilage injury, and restore vascular endothelial function. The effect of TCM therapy can also increase the level of SOD and reduce the existence of reactive oxygen species. The net analysis of ACU and index showed that ACU at local acupoints such as Yinlingxue, Xuehai, and Yanglingquan can reduce inflammatory indexes, reduce cartilage damage, balance bone metabolism, reduce WOMAC, and improve TER. The network analysis chart of TCMs and index showed that TCMs can effectively reduce WOMAC through the inhibition of IL-1 and MMP-3 and improve the effect of TER and so on. However, our findings must be handled with care because of the small size and low quality of the clinical trial samples cited. Other rigorous and large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm these results.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Kushen-based traditional Chinese medicine formulations show considerable potential and effectiveness in treating ulcerative colitis with meaningful improvement in clinical remission rate. In the study, researchers sourced multiple databases, specifically PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Chongqing VIP Information database, and Wanfang database, to find articles published from January 2000 to July 2020. These articles focused on randomized controlled trials using Kushen-based traditional Chinese medicine formulations for ulcerative colitis treatment. Additionally, they utilized a network pharmacology approach to discern the potential pathways of Kushen's influence against ulcerative colitis. Regarding the results, eight randomized controlled trials encompassing a total of 983 subjects were analyzed. When compared to subjects treated with standard therapy, patients who underwent treatment with Kushen-based formulations showed an increased clinical remission rate alongside a decreased incidence of adverse events. A detailed component-target-pathway network associated with Kushen treatment against ulcerative colitis was established. This highlighted five primary components, three primary targets, and one crucial therapeutic pathway.

A Cohort Study published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that Depressed patients who received acupuncture treatment showed a significantly lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The study was retrospective in nature and was based on data sourced from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. An equal number of patients (9,189), with and without acupuncture treatment, were selected from the total 48,981 patients newly diagnosed with depression between 2000 and 2012. These study participants were matched 1:1 using the propensity score method. The incidence of Parkinson's disease in these two groups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and the difference was examined with a log-rank test. The severity of depression and specific acupoints used were not indicated. The results indicated a significantly lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease in patients who had undergone acupuncture treatment. Differences in age, sex, insurance amount, geographic region, urbanization levels, comorbidities, and drugs were taken into account. The cumulative effect was such that the incidence was significantly lower in the acupuncture cohort as compared to the non-acupuncture cohort.

A published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Treatments according to traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome. Currently, there are many methods for treating CFS with TCM, showing its advantages. On one hand, treatments according to syndrome differentiation are diverse and involve herbal decoctions and proprietary Chinese medicines. External treatments include moxibustion, acupuncture, tuina, cupping, and other treatments. Combination therapies include two or more external treatments combined and internal and external treatments combined, which are often better than monotherapies and can remedy deficiencies. However, the clinical manifestations of CFS are different. Although fatigue is the main manifestation, there are individual differences in the appearance of insomnia or muscle pain in some patients. Treatments according to syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments. On the other hand, TCM often has the advantages of simplicity, effectiveness, convenience, and a lower cost.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Juhua, the flower head of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat, possesses multiple medicinal properties and has a significant role in dietary herbal medicine in China. The study gathers information about Chinese dietary herbal medicine and flower-derived medicine, focusing on Juhua, from varied sources such as government reports, classic books of Traditional Chinese medicine, doctoral and master's theses, and various databases. The methodology includes summarizing all flower-originated crude medicines listed in Chinese pharmacopeia and their applications for the first time, retracing the edible history and development of flowers in China, discussing the theory of Chinese dietary herbal medicines, and examining flowers as dietary herbal medicines. Discussion of the results highlights applications in Traditional Chinese medicine and diet, cultivars, phytochemistry, quality control, and pharmacology of Juhua. A safety evaluation of Juhua, along with an overview of chrysanthemum breeding and biotechnology, are included in the findings. The study determines that many herbal flowers, particularly Juhua, have considerably contributed to the prevention and treatment of various diseases in China.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in relieving symptoms, shortening treatment time and reducing the development of severe viral pneumonia. In the treatment of viral pneumonia through syndrome differentiation, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a variety of roles in inhibiting the proliferation, replication, adsorption and membrane penetration of the virus, promoting the expression of interferon in vivo, inhibiting inflammatory reaction, enhancing immunity, etc., which is one of the theoretical bases for the clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of viral pneumonia. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine and compound medicinals are characterized by multi-component, multi-pathway and multi-pathway complex networks. Therefore, drug resistance is relatively rare in the clinical practice of TCM. Moreover, in the process of diagnosis and treatment of TCM, treatment based on differentiation of symptoms and signs, especially treatment based on classification of symptoms and signs, can best reflect the overall concept of TCM. TCM has precise therapeutic activity and less adverse reactions. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the competent therapeutic effects of TCM against viral pneumonia with a prominent safety profile.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Medicine found that Moving cupping therapy, alone or coupled with other treatments, could effectively alleviate symptoms of plaque psoriasis with minimal side effects. The researchers conducted an exhaustive review of various databases up until March 2020, including PubMed, Embase, and others. The review focused on randomized controlled trials concerning the treatment of plaque psoriasis using moving cupping therapy, either alone or combined with Chinese herbs or conventional Western medicine. The effects obtained from these trials were contrasted with outcomes from placebo-controlled, pharmaceutical medication-based or Chinese herb-based treatments. They also compared the frequency of the moving cupping treatment. After a meticulous selection process, sixteen trials involving 1164 participants met the entry criteria. The meta-analysis demonstrated that those who underwent moving cupping therapy exhibited significant symptom improvement compared to those who did not. Additionally, the combination of moving cupping and pharmaceutical medications proved to be more effective than pharmaceutical treatments alone. The recurring rate of psoriasis also substantially dropped due to cupping therapy. While moving cupping reduced some blood markers more effectively than conventional medicine did, it didn't show distinct advantages in the visual analogue score. Few transient side effects like redness, itching, and local skin burning were reported associated with moving cupping therapy.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Our meta-analysis provides promising evidence to suggest that using the Tonifying-Kidney principle combined with western medicines for primary osteoporosis is more effective than using western medicines alone. Thirty-six studies with 3617 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed a consistently superior effect of the TS (TK) principle combined with conventional Western medicine (CWM) in terms of total effectiveness rates, BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur, TCM symptom integral, and VAS scores, when compared to using CWM alone and with significant differences. Besides, in respect of adverse effects, it showed no significant statistical difference between the experimental and control groups.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology found that Many clinical and experimental studies suggest that Chinese herbal formula are effective in reducing fatty liver disease, and revolving inflammation via many mechanistic pathways. The NAFLD pandemic implies an increase number of patients diagnosed with NAFL, NASH, liver fibrosis and HCC in the near future. Although the interpretation and diagnosis of NAFLD in Chinese medicine are different from those in western medicine, many clinical and experimental studies suggest that Chinese herbal formula are effective in reducing hepatic steatosis, and revolving inflammation via many mechanistic pathways. Some Chines herbal formulae also target at the gut–liver axis in NAFLD, while the adipose tissue–liver axis emerges to be a therapeutic approach for the treatment of NAFLD. More clinical and in-depth mechanistic investigations may help to validate the roles of these Chinese herbal formulae for the treatment of NAFLD. Application of the modern technology can also help to discover novel herbal-based therapeutics for the treatment.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that TCM nutrition is an ancient but burgeoning discipline, and its main goal is to use food as a means to achieve balance and harmony within the body. Compared with modern nutrition, it has unique beneficial concepts, such as the holism, diet suggestions based on syndrome differentiation, the idea that the spleen–stomach is the “root” of post-heaven, and the homology of medicine and food.

A Experimental Study published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience found that Needling at the GB20 acupoint in Traditional Chinese Medicine can reverse the expression of certain genes related to axon development and regeneration in optic neuritis. To explore the molecular mechanisms of GB20 acupoint needling treatment on Optic Neuritis, a common symptom of Multiple Sclerosis, an Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model with EAE-associated optic neuritis was utilized. Traditional Chinese Medicine practices of needling at the GB20 acupoint and GV16 acupoint control treatment were applied, followed by RNA sequencing of the retinal transcriptome to identify differentially expressed genes. In the discussion of the results, it was found that of the genes affected by optic neuritis, needling at the GB20 acupoint reversed the expression of 21 genes, including Nr4a3, Sncg, Uchl1, and Tppp3. These genes are particularly involved in axon development and regeneration, suggesting a beneficial effect from GB20 acupoint needling. Moreover, it was discovered that GB20 needling also influenced the circadian rhythm in the mouse retina with optic neuritis. The GV16 was also identified to be an effective control site for GB20 treatment in animal studies.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture could be safe and effective for pain reduction, restoring shoulder function, and restoring flexion range of motion for frozen shoulder patients in the short term and midterm. In this systematic review and a meta-analysis, acupuncture had shown to be a safe treatment with a significant effect in regard to reducing pain, improving shoulder function, and flexion ROM in the short term and midterm. However, due to the small number of included studies and methodological limitations in these studies, more large-scale high-quality RCTs are warranted in order to give a robust conclusion. Future studies should compare acupuncture to other treatments and sham acupuncture. Additionally, longer follow-up time is needed for investigating the effect of acupuncture in the mid- and long term, and the duration of future FS studies follow-up should be increased to one year.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that Gua sha therapy may be more effective than hot packs with massage for reducing breast pain. In this version of the review, 21 studies involving 2170 breastfeeding women were analysed. A range of interventions for the treatment of breast engorgement were tested. These included: cabbage leaves, various compresses (ginger, cactus/aloe, hollyhock), massage plus cactus and aloe compress, acupuncture, ultrasound, acupressure, scraping therapy (Gua Sha), cold breast‐packs, electromechanical massage, Oketani breast massage, and medical treatments (serrapeptase, protease, oxytocin). Six studies used individual breasts as the unit of analysis making it difficult to evaluate the true effect of the studied intervention. Due to the heterogeneous interventions, we were unable to pool results in meta‐analysis; hence, a qualitative analysis resulted in the following findings.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese medicine impacts on the prevention and treatment of influenza with potential value in shorting fever durations and alleviating influenza symptoms among children and pregnant women. Influenza infection is a highly contagious, acute febrile respiratory disease caused by the influenza virus. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has dominated plenty of theoretical and practical approaches in the treatment of influenza. It is, therefore, important to highlight the effects of TCM in the clinical treatment of influenza and their impact on inhibiting the growth of this virus in laboratory experiments. We scrutinized existing evidence on whether TCM is effective in clinical applications. Moreover, we described the potential mechanisms of TCM against the influenza virus. Our findings provide analytical evidence that supports the effectiveness of TCM in treating influenza infections as well as their mechanisms against this virus.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal Current Allergy and Asthma Reports found that Traditional Chinese Medicine, specifically acupuncture, demonstrates promising effects in managing allergic diseases like allergic rhinitis and asthma. The methodology for this paper involved an extensive review of recent publications, predominantly those presenting randomized controlled trials, that assess the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating allergies. The focus was on the two most popular treatment modalities in TCM, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. Publications detailing the mechanisms by which TCM impacts allergic diseases, as well as literature in Chinese, were also examined. The analysis of the results showed an increasing trend of using TCM, specifically Chinese herbal medicine, to manage allergic diseases. However, literature evidence was found lacking to conclusively establish its effectiveness. On the other hand, acupuncture showed more definitive evidence of its utility, especially when treating allergic rhinitis and asthma, either as a standalone intervention or alongside conventional western medication. Its effectiveness in treating atopic eczema and urticaria was less clear, nonetheless, it's recommended to be incorporated into the treatment of specific allergic diseases on a personalized basis.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Annals of Palliative Medicine found that Acupuncture is more effective than traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating primary dysmenorrhea, offering reliable evidence to support clinical treatment decisions. In this study, an exhaustive search yielded 209 articles, from which 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were carefully selected for quality evaluation after excluding animal experiments and reviews. Through stringent evidence-based criteria and exclusions of studies with unclear data or diagnostic criteria, seven research articles were deemed suitable for analysis, focusing on the effects of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on primary dysmenorrhea. A meta-analysis of these studies, showcasing minimal heterogeneity, revealed a statistically significant advantage for acupuncture over TCM, with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.86 (95% confidence interval: 2.84–8.33) indicating higher clinical effectiveness. However, with a modest sample size of 492 patients across trials and acknowledgment of the generally low quality of included literature—many lacking randomization and blinding—the study highlights the necessity for more rigorous, large-scale randomized controlled trials adhering to methodological rigor to solidify the observed superiority of acupuncture in treating primary dysmenorrhea.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Amazonian Journal of Plant Research found that The most important tremella mushroom benefits are anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, combat obesity, protect nerves and may fight cancer. The most powerful nutritional constituents of Tremella are amino acids, vitamins, minerals, polysaccharides, Glucurmomannan 1,3-alpha-glucan, Epitope 9beta-D- glucuronosyl), Glucuronic acid, Glucurmic acid, Glucuronoxylomannan, N-acetylglucosamine, Flavonoids, Polyphenols, Alkaloids and Organic acids. Functional foods are making inroads into Chinese diets with their promises to improve health and nutrition. Chinese consumers should choose nutritional and healthy food to maintain general health and reduce the risk of health problems. Nutrition therapy on the basis of traditional Chinese medicine such tremella is quite effective at treating common diseases.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine found that Electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture show similar effectiveness in relieving plantar heel pain syndrome with no significant difference between the two modalities. In this research, participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive either electroacupuncture (EA) or manual acupuncture (MA) treatments. They underwent a course of 12 treatment sessions over a span of 4 weeks, followed by 24 weeks of follow-up. The study prioritized the assessment of treatment responders, who were identified as patients showcasing at least a 50% reduction from their initial worst pain intensity experienced during the initial steps in the morning after 4 weeks of treatment. The study encompassed 92 patients diagnosed with PHPS, enlisted between July 2018 and June 2019. A total of 78 patients (85% of the original group) successfully completed both the treatment and follow-up. The results highlight that after the 4-week treatment period, both the EA and MA groups experienced a decrease in heel pain and showed improved plantar function with no serious treatment-related adverse events. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of pain intensity relief or in any secondary outcomes after 4 weeks of treatment and at follow-up points at 16 and 28 weeks.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Medicine found that Combining acupuncture via shu-stream acupoints with the Chinese herbal formulation Dang Gui Yin Zi presents a potentially effective treatment for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria. The research employed a multicenter, randomized, controlled study design emphasizing on evaluating the efficacy and safety of integrating Chinese herbal medicine with a particular acupuncture technique. The research participant group constituted 111 outpatients suffering from Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, all aged between 18 to 65 years. These participants underwent randomization into three distinct groups. Group A received the basic acupuncture combined with the herbal formulation Danggui Yinzi, while Group B was given Dangui Yinzi and acupuncture using shu-stream acupoints. The control group was only treated using Dangui Yinzi. Treatment for all groups lasted for 4 weeks, with an additional 8-week monitoring period. The study (while ignoring the quantitative data) showed that the alternative approach using a combination of shu-stream acupoints and Chinese herbal medicine in treating Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria resulted in noticeable changes in the patients' conditions. This was reflected in the patients' symptoms, side effects of the treatment, and overall quality of life. This method introduced an innovative, cost-effective, and straightforward treatment strategy for solving a complex clinical issue.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal The American Journal of Emergency Medicine found that Chinese medicine combined with conventional treatment significantly improved clinical efficacy, increased viral nucleic acid negative conversion rate, prominently reduced pulmonary inflammation, and improved host immune function. A total of 7 valid studies involving 681 patients were included. The meta-analysis exhibited in comparison to conventional treatment, Chinese medicine combined with conventional treatment significantly improved clinical efficacy, and significantly increased viral nucleic acid negative conversion rate. Chinese medicine also prominently reduced pulmonary inflammation, and improved host immune function. Meanwhile, Chinese medicine did not increase the incidence of adverse reactions. According to the allocated data, Chinese medicine has demonstrated clinical efficacy and safety on COVID-19 pneumonia, which need to be confirmed by high quality, multiple-center, large sample randomized controlled trials.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Climacteric found that Menopause symptoms, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), and acupuncture's efficacy and safety, supported by clinical evidence, with a focus on traditional Chinese medicine practices. This passage discusses menopause-related symptoms and various treatment options available. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is commonly recommended for managing these symptoms, but non-hormonal therapies like acupuncture are becoming popular alternatives, especially for those unsuitable for MHT. Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese practice, has gained support for effectively improving menopause symptoms, backed by clinical evidence. The passage also highlights the authors' clinical experience and studies from Tsinghua University Chuiyangliu Hospital in Beijing, China, emphasizing the safety of acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Journal of Dermatological Treatment found that Traditional Chinese medicine could potentially serve as an effective alternative therapy for managing Psoriasis vulgaris. The methodology for this study involved reviewing controlled clinical trials regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine's (TCM) use for Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) treatment, conducted within the past decade. Over 2000 papers were considered, from which 17 high-quality articles were selectively reviewed. Aspects such as design defects, small sample size, and inadequate intervention time in some trials were noted, affecting their potential for full clarification of TCM's role in PV treatment. Results from the accumulated data insinuated that Traditional Chinese Medicine might hold the multi-target advantage to substantially lower the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, thereby benefiting PV management. In addition to its potential efficacy, the safety of using TCM for treating Psoriasis vulgaris was also evaluated during this review.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Cupping therapy, as an adjunct to current treatments, may potentially enhance efficacy when treating patients with chronic urticaria. The research adopted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, with the focus on efficacy and safety of cupping therapy for chronic urticaria. The researchers employed a search strategy aimed at identifying related keywords like "chronic urticaria" and "cupping therapy" in the title and abstracts, sourced from nine major electronic databases up till May 2019. Only trials that included patients with chronic urticaria who received dry or wet cupping were considered. The quality of the methodological design and potential bias of the studies were evaluated. The findings suggest the efficacy of cupping therapy when used, not as a standalone treatment, but as an adjunct to other treatments, particularly to antihistamines and acupuncture. In a sample of trials, there were no significant differences between using wet cupping and conventional medications in terms of their total effective rate. However, cupping therapy combined with antihistamines or acupuncture was found to be more effective than when these treatments were used separately. No serious adverse events were reported as part of these findings.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that In the treatment of chronic pain with depression, acupuncture could not only achieve better clinical efficacy, but also have higher safety compared with conventional mediation therapy. Acupuncture has a promising application prospect due to its unique advantages for the treatment of chronic pain with depression comorbidity, which can be used in patients suffering from some certain chronic pain with depression comorbidity with poorer response to the conventional medication or suffering from serious side effects.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2020 in the journal European Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Oral treatment with Six Gentlemen Decoction with Aucklandia and Amomum (SGDAA), a traditional Chinese medicine, significantly improves the treatment of Ulcerative colitis compared to conventional Western medicine. In the method of this research, Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) spanning the period from January 1960 to October 2019 were analyzed. These trials examined the use of the traditional Chinese medicine in question for treating ulcerative colitis. This extensive data was drawn from numerous scientific and medical databases in English, Korean, and Chinese. The resulting information was then processed through a software named RevMan 5.3 to conduct a meta-analysis. Furthermore, the studies were scrutinized based on their homogeneity and the odds ratios and confidence intervals were evaluated for accuracy and validity of each. In the exploration of the results, seven metanalysed studies (involving a total of 614 colitis patients) showed that the traditional Chinese medicine SGDAA had a significantly greater effect in treating ulcerative colitis than conventional western medicine. This conclusion was drawn from the comparative analysis of the SGDAA group (consisting of 308 patients) and the control group (composed of 306 patients receiving conventional Western medicine or another Chinese medicine). The analysis showed the SGDAA treatment was significantly more effective especially when the treatment exceeded 4 and 12 weeks. The beneficial impact of the SGDAA treatment in ulcerative colitis was seen in the forms of effective response and curative response.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy found that Traditional Chinese medicine treatments can serve as promising auxiliary therapies for functional recovery of patients with spinal cord injury. The literature search identified a total of 652 articles regarding traditional Chinese medicine for spinal cord injury. Twenty-eight treatments (16 active ingredients, nine herbs, and three compound prescriptions) were selected from these articles; the treatments have been used for the prevention and treatment of SCI. In general, these treatments involved antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and/or antiapoptotic effects of TCM compounds. This paper showed that TCM treatments can serve as promising auxiliary therapies for functional recovery of patients with SCI. These findings will contribute to the development of diversified treatments for SCI.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Acupuncture on treating chronic fatigue syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counselling psychology and physical therapy. We found that acupuncture on treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counseling psychology and physical therapy. Acupuncture has shown to have less side effects and drug resistance. A combined therapy of Western medicine and Chinese medicine has proven to be most effective for patients.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Andrology found that Traditional Chinese Medicine when combined with vitamins significantly improves sperm characteristics and pregnancy rates in male infertility treatment. The methodology used for this research involved a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of all relevant randomized controlled trials that utilized a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and vitamins for treating male infertility. These studies were sourced from a variety of databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP Database, CBM, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The quality of the chosen articles was assessed with the Cochrane Reviewer's Handbook 5.3, and meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 15 software. The results indicate that compared to solely Vitamin E or Vitamin E and C, the incorporation of Traditional Chinese Medicine with vitamins led to considerable improvements in sperm concentration, motility, viability, liquefaction time, acrosome enzyme activity and in the overall pregnancy rate for male infertility cases. Certain specific Traditional Chinese Medicine capsules – Shengjing, Huanshao, and compound Xuanju – demonstrated particularly significant enhancements with respect to sperm concentration, sperm movement, and pregnancy rate. Consequently, the combination was found to have significant efficacy in treating male infertility without increasing side effects.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Journal of Oral Rehabilitation found that Acupuncture, regardless of whether on specific or non-specific points, substantially decreases non-chronic pain in patients suffering from Temporomandibular Disorders. In this double-blinded, single-centre, randomized controlled trial, 49 patients with non-chronic painful Temporomandibular Disorders were divided into two groups. Group A received acupuncture on specific points, while Group B had acupuncture on non-specific points. Subjects were examined, treated weekly with acupuncture for a month by a dentist, and reexamined five weeks after the initial examination by an examiner unaware of the study groups. The main criteria for assessment was characteristic pain intensity, with other factors considered including mouth opening ability, patients' expectations regarding treatment, mood, and oral health-related quality of life. The results indicated that neither age nor characteristic pain intensity significantly differed between the two groups. However, characteristic pain intensity was notably lower five weeks post initial examination for both groups. A perceived increase in mouth-opening capacity, enhanced oral health-related quality of life, and a substantial reduction in mood disorder symptoms were encountered, with all patients holding positive views towards acupuncture therapy. The findings determined that the reduction of non-chronic pain from Temporomandibular Disorders through acupuncture cannot be credited to the selection of specific points alone.

A Cohort Study published in 2020 in the journal Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine usage in children with asthma can reduce their risk of hospitalization. The study used data from one million individuals randomly selected from the National Health Insurance Research Database's Registry of Beneficiaries. Children under 18 years old diagnosed with asthma were followed from the year 2000 to 2012. These patients were classified into two groups: the Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) group and the non-CHM group. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazard regression model were utilized to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio of the two groups and to determine the correlation between the number of cumulative days the CHM was used and consequent hospitalizations due to asthma. After adjusting for variables such as gender, age, comorbidities, and the total numbers of asthma medications taken, it was found that users of CHM had a reduced risk of hospitalization due to asthma compared to non-CHM users. Children older than six years who used CHM therapy for more than 180 days demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of subsequent hospitalization for asthma.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine found that Electroacupuncture might provide stronger impact on knee osteoarthritis than manual acupuncture, though both methods are safe and feasible treatments. The study consisted of a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in Beijing, during which 60 participants suffering from knee osteoarthritis were split into two groups: Electroacupuncture and Manual Acupuncture. Participants in both groups were treated at the same local traditional acupuncture points, with the Electroacupuncture group using an electrical apparatus. The Manual Acupuncture group experienced a sham procedure, utilizing a working power indicator but no actual current, to keep the participants blind to the experimental conditions. Over 8 weeks, both groups received 24 treatment sessions. The successfulness of the treatments was determined by response rates, pain, stiffness, functionality, and quality of life. In the results, 53 out of 60 participants completed the study. Within these participants, the response rates were 43% for the Electroacupuncture group and 30% for the Manual Acupuncture group. Differences between group outcomes were noted but not deemed statistically significant. There were low rates of adverse effects in correspondence with the two methods, which were also evenly distributed across the two groups.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese medicine herb Bai Zhu might combat chronic gastritis by influencing inflammatory response, amino acid synthesis and energy metabolism. Methodology: Network pharmacology was employed to study the active ingredients, drug targets, and critical pathways of AMK in treating chronic gastritis. Initially, four databases were scoured to single out 77 candidate ingredients of AMK, reducing that to 27 active ingredients identified for CG treatment. Furthermore, 25 overlapping gene symbols linked to CG and drugs were procured from GeneCards and OMIM databases. The construction of a protein-protein interaction network and TCM comprehensive network followed this, resulting in 528 Gene Ontology terms and 26 pathways obtained through GO pathways and KEGG pathways enrichment analyses. Results: The investigation focused on the interleukin-17 signaling pathway, C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications as crucial points and leading pathways for treating chronic gastritis. The study suggests that AMK potentially impacts the inflammatory response, amino acid synthesis, and energy metabolism. These influential active ingredients and targets have been experimentally validated for reliability, offering new insights into the systematic exploration of the traditional Chinese medicine mechanism of action.

A Review Article published in 2020 in the journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that The Chrysanthemum indicum L. plant has been discovered to have multiple pharmacological capabilities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, antipathogenic, anticancer, immune regulation, and hepatoprotective effects. In their study, the researchers undertook an extensive review of Chrysanthemum indicum L., a longstanding staple of traditional Chinese medicine. They examined the botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the plant, integrating historical records relating to traditional medicinal usage with modern scientific analyses. In the discussion of their findings, they made note of the plant's impressive pharmacological portfolio. More than 190 chemical compounds have been identified within the plant, including flavonoids, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and phenolic acids. These contribute to a variety of medical benefits - illustratively, its extracts show anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation properties, and compounds isolated from the plant suggest potential anticancer, antipathogenic microorganism, immune regulation, and hepatoprotective effects.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies found that Acupuncture has therapeutic potential in management of cancer-related fatigue for cancer survivors. Given that CRF is a debilitating symptom among cancer survivors that has proven complex to manage, it is important to explore a wide range of treatment options. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that acupuncture has clinical applications in the management of CRF in conjunction with standard care. Investigating the physiological mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture on CRF with biomarkers including cytokines will provide important insights into future clinical applications. Acupuncture for cancer survivors with fatigue, particularly those receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy that induce fatigue, can have a beneficial effect on fatigue and overall quality of life, when used as an adjunctive intervention to conventional cancer care. Therefore, it is recommended that acupuncture be incorporated into guidelines for the management of CRF in order to improve patient care.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2020 in the journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds potential to regulate immune-mediated inflammatory diseases by adjusting the imbalance of the Th17/Treg axis. The researchers conducted a systematic review and analysis of literature on the impact of TCM on the Th17/Treg axis in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The study included documentation which reported changes in Th17 and Treg cells, their transcription factor and associated cytokines. Additionally, frequency analysis and network pharmacology were performed on TCM herbs collected from clinical trial data, focusing on the 39 most frequently used TCM prescriptions. The results showed that TCM has the potential to rebalance the Th17/Treg axis, an important factor in controlling immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The top five herbal components related to the treatment of such diseases were identified. Network pharmacology revealed six target proteins that could play a role in the regulatory effects of TCM on the Th17/Treg axis. Furthermore, nine active ingredients from TCM were reported to influence the Th17/Treg axis positively. This systematic review shed light on the pharmacological basis for the use of TCM in treating immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

A Systematic Review published in 2019 in the journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that Chinese medicine treatments involving the Bladder and Conception Vessel meridians may be more effective to relieve asthma symptoms than non-meridian interventions. In 204 RCTs that were identified and used in a meta-synthesis, meridians were used 521 times, with the bladder meridian being the most frequently used. Furthermore, 23 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. Surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) revealed that the bladder–conception vessel–governor vessel–stomach multiplex meridian intervention was more effective than non-meridian interventions in relieving asthma symptoms. Additionally, either bladder–conception vessel–stomach or bladder–conception vessel–governor vessel–kidney multiplex meridians may be selected in interventions. This study suggests that practitioners target multiplex meridians, especially the meridians of the bladder and conception vessel, to effectively relieve asthma symptoms.

A published in 2019 in the journal Scholar Works at UT Tyler found that Based on the statistical analytic results, calories, dietary fiber, fat, retinol, and vitamin C were found to possibly determine the effect of Yin-Yang properties of foods on human health. The influence of these nutrients on the human body was partially consistent with the function of Yin, Yang and neutral foods recorded in traditional Chinese medicine. Having a healthy diet by restoring Yin-Yang balance is a cost-effective method to maintain overall health with positive effect on CVD, diabetes, gut microbiota, smoking therapy, sleep patterns, and some acute illnesses due to the determinant nutrients including fat, fiber, sodium, and vitamin C. While dietary fiber and sodium were not significant in this study. At a p<.10, fiber and sodium would have been significant. A Yin-Yang paradigm not only provides an alternative medicine intervention for patients by reducing economic burden, as well as improving symptoms and quality of life, but also is beneficial to healthy people by preventing disease. Yin-Yang balanced dietary therapy has a comprehensive effect on health and should be a significant component of health education.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal Journal of Diabetes Research found that Traditional Chinese medicine, especially Zuo Gui Wan, red raspberry leaves, and Orthosiphon stamineus, seems to control gestational diabetes effectively without reported toxicity. The study initiated a systematic search across PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases to pinpoint research discussing the impact of traditional Chinese medicine on pregnancy. The results were then further narrowed down to focus on any correlation with all forms of diabetes mellitus. The primary thread that emerged was the beneficial effect of three main herbal remedies: Zuo Gui Wan, red raspberry leaves, and Orthosiphon stamineus. Based off of the results from this search, a focal review of these herbal elements and their associations with type 2 diabetes mellitus was undertaken. Across the board, these remedies demonstrated positive effects on metabolic health, especially among women dealing with gestational diabetes. No experimental models reported any toxicity or harmful side effects associated with these herbal treatments. The report calls out that current studies on both conventional and alternative interventions for gestational diabetes are immensely lacking, emphasizing the need for a standardized protocol to evaluate the efficacy of these herbal medicines.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal Engineering found that In 2017, dozens of Chinese proprietary medicines were employed as rheumatoid arthritis treatments and resulted in good outcomes, according to the National Health Insurance Directory of China. Based on the expert consensus in treating RA in China, YiShenJuanBi Pill and WangBi Electuary were recommended as treatments for patients with RA in the inactive stage, and have been listed in the guidelines since 2013. According to several clinical studies, YiShenJuanBi Pill markedly improves clinical symptoms and relieves bone erosion in patients with RA, and is particularly effective in patients with early-stage or age-related RA. WangBi Electuary alleviates the symptoms of patients with RA in a relatively short time when combined with MTX, and the efficacy of this combined therapy has been shown to be better than the combined therapy of MTX and LEF. TongBi Capsule and HanShiBi Pill are highly recommended for patients with RA presenting with cold-dampness syndrome. Moreover, TongBi Capsule has been used to treat age-related RA when combined with MTX, and shows better effectiveness and fewer side effects than the MTX monotherapy. HanShiBi Pill is more suitable for long-term treatment courses because it exerts fewer gastrointestinal effects while simultaneously producing good effects on arthritis. For patients diagnosed with heat-dampness syndrome, TCM doctors may select BiZhongXiao Decoction, ShiReBi Pill, or ReBiKang Capsule.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal Applied Ecology and Environmental Research found that Chrysanthemum, rich in unique chemical compounds, offers significant health benefits such as stress relief, cardio protection, immunity boost, improved eye health, and osteoporosis risk reduction. The study primarily focuses on evaluating the most important chemical extracts of chrysanthemum. These include flavonoids, betaine, choline, and vitamin B1. Further, the researchers identified thirteen compounds unique to chrysanthemum flowers. These were extracted and analyzed to unveil their potential health benefits. In the discussion of results, the authors highlight chrysanthemum's impressive range of health benefits stemming from its chemical composition. It is revealed that chrysanthemum can potentially alleviate stress and anxiety while improving cardiovascular health. It also has properties to guard against oxidative damage and inflammation, support a healthy immune function, enhance eye health, and lessen the risk of osteoporosis. Interestingly, the herb's beneficial traits align with its traditional use in Chinese medicine, underscoring chrysanthemum's potential in promoting holistic, organic health.

A Systematic Review published in 2019 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that This systematic review shows that the overall effectiveness of acupuncture treatment of premenstrual syndrome is superior to that of sham acupuncture and related medications. Results. A total of 15 studies, comprising of 1103 cases, were included. Overall, acupuncture significantly increased the effective rate of PMS compared with medicine and sham acupuncture. Subgroup analyses showed no significant difference among different intervention time to start acupuncture treatment. Among the acupoints involved in the treatment of PMS, SP6, LR3, and RN4 were the most commonly used. The current meta-analysis reveals that acupuncture leads to better effective rate, but the intervention time has no significant effect on the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for PMS. SP6, LR3, and RN4 are the most commonly used acupoints in treating PMS. However, large-scale, case-control studies with rigorous designs are required to provide more accurate evidence.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Chinese herbal compounds can potentially treat cholelithiasis by improving biliary dynamics, protecting liver function, reducing cholesterol, and managing inflammation. In this research, various commonly used Chinese herbal compounds (CHCs) were assessed for their application in treating cholelithiasis. The investigation centered around understanding the mechanism through which these CHCs work. Critical to this understanding was the analysis of how CHCs influence biliary dynamics, liver functionalities, the levels of cholesterol and bilirubin, as well as the regulation of inflammatory responses. Following this evaluation, it was discovered that traditional Chinese medicine-based treatments such as CHCs are effective in improving overall bodily functions. This enhancement of bodily function is integral in preventing the recurrence of cholelithiasis. The results point towards the possibility of the effective use of CHCs for patients with cholelithiasis, offering further choices in treatment besides merely surgical or medication options.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal The Lancet Neurology found that Traditional Chinese Medicine provides a valuable, holistic approach to Parkinson's disease prevention and treatment, offering another angle besides Western medicinal practices. The paper uses historical analysis to examine how Parkinson's disease-like symptoms were described and treated in ancient Chinese medical texts, with a focus on the theories of Yin-Yang imbalance and five-element theories, along with the use of various herbs, acupuncture and physical exercise. It draws from a range of historical periods, from as early as 425-221 BC up until the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD), discussing different traditional treatments like Zhenwu decoction, Gegen decoction, Jin Ya Wine, and Ding Zhen Pill. In discussing the results, the paper synthesizes these historical treatments with modern practices, pointing out that many traditional remedies, now updated with contemporary knowledge, continue to be used in China. These include the renamed Ding Zhen Decoction, dietary therapies, acupuncture, moxibustion, Tai Chi, and Qigong. It was found that these approaches could improve both motor and non-motor symptoms for patients with Parkinson's disease. Many of the ingredients in these treatments have bioactive molecules which have shown therapeutic benefits. In addition to treatment, the study also emphasizes the value of early disease prevention in line with TCM's approach, noting that certain behaviors typical of the tradition such as tea-drinking and physical exercises have been observed to offer a preventive effect for Parkinson's patients.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal APMIS found that Traditional Chinese medicine rapidly relieves the clinical symptoms caused by viral infection with a remarkable antifebrile effect. The overall characteristics of TCM in treating viral infectious diseases are that it can significantly lighten the symptoms and bring down the fever quickly; however, the time of viral nucleic acid to be negative in TCM is slower as compared to the chemical antiviral drugs. Some randomized controlled trials showed that Maxingshigan decoction (a classical TCM recipe that is commonly used for pneumonia composed of Chinese ephedra, apricot kernel, gypsum, licorice), Yinqiaosan decoction (a famous TCM recipe mainly composed by Lonicera japonica and Fructus forsythiae is commonly used for cough and sore throat caused by virus infection), and modern Chinese patent medicine Lianhua qingwen capsules (a TCM capsule, which is approved by the China Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of flu) relieve the clinical symptoms of influenza patients and shorten the time of disease progression.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal APMIS found that Traditional Chinese medicine has a generalized antiviral effect indicating the regulation on the direct inhibition of virus, body immunity, and inflammatory response control. Present, several studies on the anti-virus activity of single Chinese medicinal herb, such as Fructus forsythiae, Radix isatidis, and Scutellaria baicalensis, using modern technology confirmed the effective constituent and materials, as well as the functional mechanism of the relevant parts. A systematic analysis found that TCM decoction and Ganmao capsule (a non-prescription Chinese patent medicine composed of some herbs for clearing heat and toxicity is commonly used in treating cold and flu) had better effects on the treatment of H3N2 and influenza B, respectively, than amantadine and ribavirin. In terms of anti-inflammation, TCM can alleviate the damage caused by excess inflammatory reactions initiated by a virus. The single and compound Chinese medicinal herbs which can cause clearing heat and toxicity could decrease the cytokine storm resulting from the production of several species of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines aim to improve the injury of tissue and organs. In turn, this phenomenon promotes blood circulation and removes stasis, thereby confining the inflammation and promoting its absorption. In the case of SARS, a rapidly spreading infectious disease, TCM combined with corticosteroids during the early stage of the outbreak could decrease the mortality by promoting innate immunity to relieve inflammation. Subsequently, the TCM compounds of Chinese herbs analyzed based on the theory of strengthening healthy Qi and clearing pathogenic factors with the feature of multicomponent, multi-channel, and multiple targets exerted a synergistic effect on inhibiting the virus directly, relieving the immunopathological injury, and controlling the inflammatory reaction caused by virus infection.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal APMIS found that Clinical efficacy can be improved by the combination of Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of bacterial infectious diseases. The combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intravenous preparations with conventional antibiotics can effectively improve the clinical efficacy of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and promote the early rehabilitation of patients, thereby reducing the rate of mortality of the patients. Previous studies showed that Xiyanping injection (TCM injections are approved by the China Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of respiratory infection; the main ingredient is andrographolide sulfonate) combined with piperacillin and sulbactam significantly improved the clinical efficacy of pulmonary infection in the elderly. Pulmonary infection is the most common complication and cause of death in stroke patients. Compared to simple symptomatic support treatment, the recovery rate and efficiency of Qingjin huatan decoction (famous TCM recipe composed of Scutellaria baicalensis, Fructus gardeniae, Fritillaria thun-bergli, for clearing heat and reducing phlegm) combined with Xiaochengqi decoction (purgative prescription) in the treatment of apoplexy-related lung infection is greatly improved. The symptoms of patients with pulmonary infection complicated with sepsis were significantly improved after treatment with the addition of Shengjiang powder combined with basic Western medical treatment including antibiotics and expectorant application. Consequently, the APACHE2 score was significantly reduced, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 were also significantly reduced.

A Review Article published in 2019 in the journal APMIS found that Traditional Chinese medicine can restrain some infections induced by various drug-resistant bacteria. A large number of studies have shown that multiple traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compounds, single herbs, and monomers have effects on inhibiting drug-resistant bacteria in both in vitro and in vivo studies such as MRSA, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The mechanism of treating drug-resistant bacteria in TCM mainly includes the following two aspects: eliminating plasmid and inhibition of the active efflux pump system. Forsythia decoction can inhibit the active efflux pump of A. baumannii, resulting in the variation of an adeB sequence of efflux pump coding gene. In addition, TCM has a large impact on the production of the inactivating enzyme of antimicrobials to reverse the drug resistance. To inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria, Chinese medicinal herbs can alter the structure of bacterial cell wall to affect permeability. Some herbs such as rhubarb and berberine can restrain the formation of biofilms to inhibit the MRSA. Notably, the antibacterial activity of TCM with little side effects is equivalent to that of antibiotics. A study showed that Chinese medicine, Mayushihuang decoction, has the same efficiency with teicoplanin for clearing MRSA; however, distinct adverse effects were not detected in the TCM group as compared to abnormal hepatorenal function in the teicoplanin group.

A Systematic Review published in 2019 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology found that Acupuncture therapy seems effective for motor function, pain relief and activities of daily living in stroke patients with mild Shoulder-Hand Syndrome, when it is used in combination with rehabilitation. This systematic review shows that adding acupuncture to routine rehabilitation can improve clinical outcomes (pain and motor function) for people with mild post-stroke SHS. However, the evidence was assessed as “low” by GRADE due to the methodological limitations and heterogeneity of included studies, which made our certainty in recommending acupuncture for this condition in clinical practice as “low.” Well-designed placebo-controlled RCTs with a long treatment duration and follow up, as well as standardized reporting, are needed to support acupuncture's safe and effective use in the management of post-stroke SHS.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2019 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), when used alongside Western Medicine (WM), seems to improve treatment outcomes for Crohn's disease. The methodology used in this study was a comprehensive search of several significant scientific and medical databases including Pubmed, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, among others, up until October 2018. The researchers assessed the quality of randomized clinical trials that met their specific inclusion criteria and extracted data according to the Cochrane Review Handbook v5.0 guidelines. They analyzed the outcomes using the software Stata 12.0 for a meta-analysis, focusing on twelve selected randomized controlled trials. The trials were, however, deemed of low methodological quality. The study looked at the outcomes of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine treatment in comparison to Western Medicine alone, across multiple efficacy indicators. This review found that TCM used as an adjunctive therapy to WM was superior to WM alone in inducing remission in Crohn's patients. The results were noticeably better in terms of overall effective rate, maintenance of remission, reduction of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and in reducing clinical scores. Additionally, the frequency of adverse events decreased. Mucosal healing improved in both the TCM-WM and the WM only groups, but no notable differences were present between these two approaches. Still, there was some sign of publication bias in the studies towards efficacy, adverse reactions, mucosal healing, and recurrence rate.

A Animal Study published in 2019 in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience found that Gan Mai Da Zao decoction has shown comparable anxiolytic effects to Diazepam and Buspirone in mice, possibly regulated by serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. The mice were given the Gan-Mai-Da-Zao (GMDZ) decoction orally at different concentrations for a week, with Diazepam and Buspirone serving as positive controls. Anxiety-level testing was conducted using a combination of the elevated plus-maze, light/dark box, marble burying, open field, and rota-rod tests, providing a comprehensive assessment of the decoction's effects on mice. Furthermore, the anxiolytic effects that GMDZ induced in the mice were challenged by the application of Flumazenil, a gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor antagonist, and WAY-100635, a serotonin-1A receptor antagonist. They found that the effects were successfully inhibited, indicating that the mechanism of action of GMDZ could be linked to both the serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors in the nervous system, thereby reducing anxiety-like behavior in mice.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2019 in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that Acupuncture during IVF treatment can possibly lower anxiety at the time of embryo transfer but seems to have no long-term impact on women's quality of life. A multicenter randomised controlled trial was conducted recruiting women between 18 to 42 years, who were already undergoing a fresh IVF cycle and not using acupuncture. The experiment ran between June 2011 and October 2015 in Australia and New Zealand. Random assignments placed participants in either the acupuncture group or a control group which received sham acupuncture. Three treatments were administered in total - the first between the 6th and 8th day of ovarian stimulation, and the other two on the day of the embryo transfer. The results of the study highlighted that participants who received acupuncture reported experiencing significantly less anxiety following the embryo transfer. However, no discernible difference was found between the groups in terms of quality of life following the embryo transfer. The apparent benefit of acupuncture on the general health of participants was not sustained 14 weeks after the trial, which indicates that acupuncture might not have a long-term impact on a woman's emotional well-being following an IVF cycle.

A Theoretical Article published in 2019 in the journal Applied Ecology and Environmental Research found that Chrysanthemum, a plant primarily grown in China and Japan, offers significant health benefits including stress reduction, cardiovascular improvement, and lowering osteoporosis risk. The study focused on Chrysanthemum, a notable plant in the ornamental industry and traditional Chinese medicine, mainly grown in China and Japan. The researchers identified its crucial chemical extracts such as flavonoids, betaine, choline, and vitamin B1. They additionally pinpointed thirteen significant compounds of chrysanthemum flowers, including acacetin-7-0-beta- D-glucopyranoside, luteolin, acaciin, and boscialin, among others. The findings revealed that chrysanthemum tea exhibits considerable health advantages. It eases stress and anxiety, enhances cardiovascular health, protects against oxidative damage, inhibits inflammation, supports healthy immune function, ameliorates eye health, and decreases the risk for osteoporosis. In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum is considered a cold herb that dispels pathogenic heat, aids the liver, improves eyesight, and promotes detoxification. The study, therefore, endorsed the treatment with natural Chinese herbal medicine, especially chrysanthemum, over synthetic drugs for a more organic life.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture may help to alleviate pain caused by primary dysmenorrhea. While five systematic reviews reported contradictory results, the three of higher quality suggested that individuals who received acupuncture experienced lower levels of pain than their counterparts who received sham treatments. And two studies on acupressure also reported positive results and improved pain measured with VAS. The highest quality study showed that EA at SP6 was better in pain relief compared to EA at GB39. Cho et al. found that acupuncture was associated with a significant reduction in pain compared with pharmacological treatment or herbal medicine. Besides, one study found acupuncture at different acupoint had no difference in the mean VAS score reduction. Due to the study design, it only demonstrated the effects of difference meridian acupoints on primary dysmenorrhea, which, however, could not rule out the role of acupuncture therapy for the disease. Only two studies reported adverse events, such as fainting during acupuncture, a hematoma, and a needling sensation after acupuncture. There were no serious adverse events. But these can be avoided with caution. Therefore, with the correct management and application, acupuncture is a safe technique for PD treatment.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine improved depression symptoms and severity compared to antidepressants for postpartum depression. This systematic review provides up-to-date evidence of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for postpartum depression. We found Chinese herbal medicine improved depression symptoms and severity compared to antidepressants. Acupuncture was neither superior nor inferior to sham or antidepressants. Adverse events were similar to sham/placebo and less than antidepressants. The full extent of the effect remains inconclusive due to poor quality extant randomized controlled trials.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine combined with moxibustion might be beneficial for treating PCOS, and the treatment might improve the therapeutic effects of conventional western medications including clomiphene citrate, oral contraceptives, and/or metformin. According to current evidence, oriental herbal medicine combined with moxibustion might be beneficial for treating PCOS. Moreover, the treatment might improve the therapeutic effects of conventional WMs including clomiphene citrate, OCPs, and/or metformin. However, the findings should be interpreted with great caution, owing to poor methodological quality of the included studies, especially the high risks of selection bias, performance bias, and detection bias. Further larger, high-quality, rigorous RCTs should be conducted in this regard.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem found that Cupping therapy has demonstrated notable effects in reducing chronic back pain in adults. The systematic review and meta-analysis involved two independent researchers who examined national and international databases. They also explored the reference lists of additional systematic reviews. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Jadad scale, a globally recognized tool assessing the methodological quality of clinical trials. Extracting 16 studies for qualitative review and 10 for quantitative analysis, the research found positive impacts of cupping therapy on chronic back pain in adults. It was noted that there isn't a standardized protocol for treatment with this therapy. The study mainly evaluated outcomes based on factors such as pain intensity, physical incapacity, the quality of life, and the nociceptive threshold before the application of mechanical stimulus. A noteworthy reduction in pain intensity was seen through the use of cupping therapy.

A published in 2018 in the journal Journal of Clinical Medicine found that Traditional Chinese Medicine, particularly Jia Wei Xiao Yao San and Xiang Fu, is widely utilized in Taiwan for managing Polycystic ovary syndrome symptoms. The study administered a comprehensive survey through the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program database to scrutinize the use of TCM in women diagnosed with PCOS between 1997 and 2010. Single herbs and herbal formulas, their utilization patterns, and the top commonly prescribed items among them, were analyzed to gauge the extent and pattern of TCM usage. The analysis of the survey results revealed that a significant majority, around 89.22%, of women who were newly diagnosed with PCOS, sought TCM therapy. The single herb, Xiang-Fu, and the herbal formula, Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, emerged as the most commonly used TCM treatments. Furthermore, it was observed that the top five commonly prescribed single herbs and herbal formulas showed potential in treating symptoms associated with PCOS.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine found that Moxibustion was found to be an effective and safe treatment improving symptoms and quality of life in patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. The study used a randomized controlled trial method, comparing the effects of moxibustion and placebo treatment on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Participants were divided into two groups: one that received the moxibustion treatment on specific acupuncture points, and another placebo group that received a sham treatment mimicking moxibustion without therapeutic effect. Outcome measures assessed were International Prostate Symptom Score, maximum urinary flow rate, quality of life index, and occurrence of adverse events. The study found significant improvements in the moxibustion group in regards to the measured prostate symptom score and urinary flow rate when compared to the placebo group. The quality of life index was also significantly higher for the moxibustion group. Moreover, adverse events were rare and mild in both participant groups.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Molecules found that The biomarkers that were significantly different between black seeds and white sesame seeds are highly related to the functions recorded in traditional Chinese medicine. Chemical composition of secondary metabolites is of great importance for quality control of agricultural products. Black sesame seeds are significantly more expensive than white sesame seeds, because it is thought that black sesame seeds are more beneficial to human health than white sesame seeds. However, the differences in nutrient composition between black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds are still unknown. The current study examined the levels of different metabolites in black and white sesame seeds via the use of a novel metabolomics strategy. Using widely targeted metabolomics data, we obtained the structure and content of 557 metabolites, out of which 217 metabolites were identified, and discovered 30 metabolic pathways activated by the secondary metabolites in both black and white sesame seeds. Our results demonstrated that the main pathways that were differentially activated included: phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, and riboflavin metabolism. More importantly, the biomarkers that were significantly different between black seeds and white sesame seeds are highly related to the functions recorded in traditional Chinese medicine. The results of this study may serve as a new theoretical reference for breeding experts to promote the genetic improvement of sesame seeds, and therefore the cultivation of higher quality sesame varieties.

A Theoretical Article published in 2018 in the journal Nutrients found that Traditional Chinese medicines have shown promising benefits for prostate cancer treatment due to unique formulas, extracts, and compounds that exhibit anti-cancer effects. In their study, the researchers analyzed numerous reports detailing the use of Chinese medicines in treating prostate cancer, specifically focusing on diverse traditional formulas, medicinal extracts and isolated compounds. Clinical trials of these diverse therapies were scrutinized to gain insights into their effects and potential advantages in the fight against prostate cancer. In discussing the results, it was evident that several Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments exhibited distinct advantages in combating prostate cancer, offering protective effects. Compounds from these traditional medicines demonstrated significant anti-prostate cancer effects. However, the researchers noted difficulties in ascertaining the applications of Chinese medicines due to their multicomponent nature, complex action mechanisms, and high therapeutic doses. The researchers concluded by challenging the perspective of current research, questioning emphasis between formulas, extracts, and compounds in the context of clinical prostate cancer treatment.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that The Wu Zi Yan Zong pill, a traditional Chinese medicine, improves sperm quality by enhancing semen parameters and decreasing DNA damage in patients with oligoasthenozoospermia. This research leverages a meta-analysis of five randomized, controlled trials involving 960 participants. These trials, found in databases from North-East Asian regions and scholarly platforms like PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, focused on assessing the effect of Wuzi Yanzong pill on oligoasthenozoospermia. This investigation involved assessment of variables including sperm concentration, motility, morphology, the activity of acrosomal enzyme, volume of semen, and the sperm DNA fragmentation index. Although the qualities of the selected studies were generally contentious and there was apparent heterogeneity in some of the outcomes, the researchers concluded that the Wuzi Yanzong pill had a positive impact. It demonstrated a significant potential for enhancing sperm quality in treatments for oligoasthenozoospermia. This was observed through improvements in multiple semen parameters, including an increase in sperm concentration and motility, as well as a decrease in DNA damage.

A Review Article published in 2017 in the journal PLOS One found that Traditional Chinese Medicine offers potential benefits like pain relief and functional improvement for knee osteoarthritis with few adverse events. Five electronic databases were searched up until April 2016 to study the efficacy and safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for treating knee osteoarthritis. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and the Risk of Bias in Systematic reviews (ROBIS) tools. The quality of evidence was determined using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. The findings indicate that TCM potentially benefits patients with knee osteoarthritis through pain relief, functional improvement, and few adverse effects. However, deficiencies were found in the methodological quality of the reviews, such as the absence of an a-priori protocol or protocol registration, and an incomplete literature search. Furthermore, none of the studies offered a list of excluded studies. Overall, the quality of evidence in the systematic reviews was deemed poor, ranging from 'very low' to 'low'. This shortcoming was primarily due to a substantial risk of bias in the original trials, inconsistencies, and imprecision in the outcomes. Though TCM generally appears to be effective for knee osteoarthritis treatment, the evidence is not strong enough due to methodological flaws. Therefore, these findings should be approached cautiously in a clinical setting.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal PLOS One found that Chinese herbal medicines showed greater improvement in terms of clinical efficacy in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation than cisapride and mosapride. Eleven eligible studies comprising a total of 906 participants were identified. In the primary outcome, TCM showed significant improvement in overall clinical efficacy compared with cisapride and mosapride. In terms of secondary outcomes, TCM significantly alleviated abdominal pain, defecation frequency, and stool form in the treatment group as compared to the control group. A lower recurrence rate was associated with TCM as compared to cisapride and mosapride. No adverse effects were observed during TCM treatment. TCM showed greater improvement in terms of clinical efficacy in the treatment of IBS-C than cisapride and mosapride, although it was not possible to draw a definitive conclusion due to the small sample size, high risk, and low quality of the studies. Large multi-center and long-term high-quality randomized control trials are needed.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal found that Our findings support the use of tai chi as a treatment for people with arthritis and potentially for low back pain. Our findings support the use of tai chi as a treatment for people with arthritis and potentially for low back pain. However, we have only very low-quality or no evidence to suggest that it is as effective as, or more effective than, any other treatment for these populations. With no direct comparison of tai chi to other treatments, we can only speculate that, as our findings appear to be within a similar range to those reported for other commonly used exercise regimens for musculoskeletal conditions, tai chi could produce similar effects when compared. Thus, we cannot provide useful or confirmatory evidence to recommend this approach over others used in clinical practice settings until a robust, direct comparison study has been conducted.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese massage therapy can effectively treat asthma and significantly improve pulmonary function in children. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the effects of massage on treatment of children asthma. The findings produced by the fixed-effects model indicate that massage therapy can significantly increase the efficacy of the treatment on children asthma and improve pulmonary function index FEV1 and PEF. However, we could not conclude the favorable mechanism of massage in the overall meta-analysis due to the small number of articles. All studies have shown that massage therapy has a significantly positive effect on children with asthma, improves the pulmonary function parameters of large airway, reduces the plasma concentrations of PAF and prostaglandin, and increases the levels of PAF-AH and DP1; therefore, it greatly improves pulmonary function. However, the limited research designs of included studies lead to high risk of bias. More randomized controlled trials with better methodological quality are needed to further confirm the effectiveness of massage.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal PLOS One found that Tai Chi could be an effective alternative and/or complementary approach to existing therapies for people with fatigue. The overall aggregated result showed that Tai Chi achieved better gains in relieving fatigue compared to the control interventions. For the subgroup analysis, Tai Chi was more beneficial for cancer-related fatigue. However, for multiple sclerosis-related fatigue, age-related fatigue, there were no significant difference between two groups. Tai Chi improved fatigue greater than conventional treatment and low-impact exercise control, while no difference was observed comparing with health education control. The length between ≤ 3 months and > 3 months and the frequency between < 5 times a week and ≥ 5 times a week, the pooled results indicated that they all have significant difference. However, in the duration≤ 60 minutes, Tai Chi was improved fatigue greater. In the duration > 60 minutes, there were no difference between two groups. So, the duration≤ 60 minutes may be better than > 60 minutes.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that Acupuncture and moxibustion were found to be more effective than Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and placebo treatment (sham-acupuncture) in relieving symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. A total of 31 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were enrolled in analyses. In traditional direct meta-analysis, we found that in comparison to Chinese herbal medicine, CbAM (combined acupuncture and moxibustion, which meant two or more types of acupuncture and moxibustion were adopted) had a higher total effective rate. Compared with Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture, SAM (single acupuncture or single moxibustion) had a higher total effective rate. In addition, compared with SAM, CbAM had a higher total effective rate. In network meta-analyses, similar results were recorded. Subsequently, we ranked all treatments from high to low effective rate and the order was CbAM, SAM, Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture. In the treatment of CFS, CbAM and SAM may have better effect than other treatments. However, the included trials have relatively poor quality, hence high quality studies are needed to confirm our finding.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2017 in the journal Chinese Medical Journal found that Acupuncture used for weight loss may increase the effectiveness of oral iron supplementation to treat obesity-related iron deficiency. The study was conducted on sixty iron deficient or iron deficient anemia patients who were also obese, in the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. They were divided into two groups: one group received an oral iron supplement combined with acupuncture treatment for weight loss (acupuncture group), and the other group received the oral iron supplement along with a placebo acupuncture treatment (control group). Over the course of eight weeks, anthropometric parameters were measured, and blood samples were tested before and after the treatment. The acupuncture group showed a significant decrease in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and waist/hip circumference ratio, while the control group showed no significant changes. The oral iron supplement seemed to bring more noticeable improvements in the iron status indicators in the acupuncture group than in the control group. In addition, the serum leptin and hepcidin concentrations, which impact iron absorption, declined significantly in the acupuncture group and were relatively stagnant in the control group. These results suggest that acupuncture-based weight loss treatment could boost intestinal iron absorption, likely through downregulation of systemic leptin-hepcidin levels.

A Review Article published in 2016 in the journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that Current literature suggests that food therapy is effective in blood pressure control and can be incorporated into blood pressure self-management in the Chinese population. Based on a statistical analysis of antihypertensive foods recommended in 20 books on the application of food therapy for hypertension control, the 38 most frequently recommended are celery, tomato, banana, hawthorn, garlic, onion, seaweed, apple, corn, green beans, persimmon, laver, kiwi, watermelon, eggplant, carrots, mushroom, peanut, soy products, sea cucumber, buckwheat, garland chrysanthemum, spinach, honey, dairy products, vinegar, black fungus, jellyfish, green onion, shepherd's purse, soybean, potato, pear, winter melon, bitter melon, oat, pea, and tea.

A Systematic Review published in 2016 in the journal World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion found that Acupuncture's acupoint selection for treating PCOS, identifying top acupoints like Sānyīnjiāo (SP 6) and Guānyuán (CV 4). Findings reveal modern acupuncture's alignment with traditional theory, often targeting abdomen and lower limb points, including front-mu, he-sea, matching, and back-shu points. The study's objective was to analyze acupuncture's acupoint selection patterns for treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Acupoint information was gathered from clinical trials retrieved from multiple databases, revealing the most frequently utilized acupoints, including Sānyīnjiāo (SP 6), Guānyuán (CV 4), Zhōngjí (CV 3), and others. The study concludes that modern acupuncture for PCOS is rooted in traditional Chinese acupuncture theory, frequently targeting acupoints along the abdomen and lower limbs, with a preference for front-mu points, he-sea points, matching points, and back-shu points.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2016 in the journal Journal of the Chinese Medical Association found that Compared with oseltamivir, Chinese herbs might have superior potential effects on fever resolution and similar effects on viral shedding. In this review, several Chinese herbal medicines demonstrated a potentially positive effect on the influenza A (H1N1) strain, especially on its time to defervescence, as in the studies analyzed, the mean time to defervescence in the TCM treatment group was less than that noted in the control group. Furthermore, the duration of influenza A (H1N1) shedding in the integrated Chinese and Western medicine subgroup was less than that noted in the control group, although existing evidence indicated that the difference in duration of viral shedding and effective rate between the two groups was statistically similar. The applicability of the included studies was limited, however, because their inclusion criteria, interventions, durations, and outcome measures were different. Consequently, more well-designed trials are required.

A Systematic Review published in 2016 in the journal Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that A tentative conclusion can be reached that acupuncture, tuina, tai chi and qigong represent beneficial adjunctive therapies for cancer patients. We identified 67 RCTs (5465 patients) that met our inclusion criteria to perform this meta-analysis. Analysis results showed that a significant combined effect was observed for QOL change in patients with terminal cancer in favor of acupuncture and Tuina, whereas Tai Chi and Qigong had no effect on QOL of breast cancer survivors. The meta-analysis also demonstrated that acupuncture produced small-to-large effects on adverse symptoms including pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and some gastrointestinal discomfort; however, no significant effect was found on the frequency of hot flashes and mood distress. Tuina relieved gastrointestinal discomfort. TCM-FEMT lowered depression level. Tai Chi improved vital capacity of breast cancer patients. High risk of bias was present in 74.63% of the selected RCTs. Major sources of risk of bias were lack of blinding, allocation concealment, and incomplete outcome data.

A Systematic Review published in 2016 in the journal European Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Acupuncture may have a positive impact on recovering menstrual cycles, reducing BMI, and lowering luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) was investigated. The review included nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving a total of 531 women with PCOS. The analysis revealed that acupuncture showed promise in improving the recovery of menstrual cycles, reducing body mass index (BMI), and lowering luteinizing hormone (LH) levels among women with PCOS. However, caution is advised in interpreting these findings due to the limited methodological quality of the included RCTs. Despite the positive outcomes observed in certain parameters, further high-quality research is needed to establish the full scope of acupuncture's potential as a treatment for PCOS.

A Systematic Review published in 2016 in the journal BioMed Research International found that Acupuncture may prove effective and safe in relieving symptoms of chronic urticaria. In the methodology, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out incorporating randomised controlled trials. The main outcome focused on was global symptom improvement. The results indicated that out of the 6 studies with 406 participants, three trials demonstrated a substantial difference between acupuncture and medication in terms of global symptom improvement. Moreover, when acupuncture was used as an addition to medication, it showed beneficial effects for global symptom improvement. No severe adverse events related to acupuncture were reported. Limitations included high bias risk across the trials, and methodological restrictions.

A Review Article published in 2015 in the journal Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine found that Acupuncture, as an adjuvant therapy or monotherapy, can protect and restore dopaminergic neurons, bearing positive implications for the Parkinson's disease treatment. Methodologically, animal studies were used to investigate the effects of acupuncture treatment on Parkinson's disease. An examination was conducted to see if the treatment was neuroprotective, if it could protect dopaminergic neurons from degeneration, and restorative, if it could restore tyrosine hydroxylase positive dopaminergic terminals in the striatum. These pathways were monitored at both molecular and cellular levels. The research also looked into whether the protection was mediated through the same mechanisms as other neuroprotective agents such as anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic pathways. The results indicated that acupuncture was not only neuroprotective and restorative, but also seen to improve motor performance in animal models of Parkinsonism. The protective effect appeared to be mediated through common mechanisms of other neuroprotective agents, while restoration of function involved activation of certain compensatory brain regions to correct the imbalances stemming from the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Furthermore, clinical studies in China and Korea depicted a positive impact of acupuncture in treating Parkinson's disease, specifically by reducing the dosage of dopaminergic medications and the associated side effects.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal Oncotarget found that Traditional Chinese medicine psycho-behavioral interventions represent beneficial adjunctive therapies for cancer patients. The six TCM PBIs analyzed were acupuncture, Chinese massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine five elements musical intervention (TCM FEMI), Traditional Chinese Medicine dietary supplement (TCM DS), Qigong and Tai Chi. Although both TCM PBIs and non-TCM PBIs reduced functional impairments in cancer patients and led to pain relief, depression remission, reduced time to flatulence following surgery and sleep improvement, TCM PBIs showed more beneficial effects as assessed by reducing both fatigue and gastrointestinal distress. In particular, acupuncture relieved fatigue, reduced diarrhea and decreased time to flatulence after surgery in cancer patients, while therapeutic Chinese massage reduced time to flatulence and time to peristaltic sound.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine found that Compound formulas of traditional Chinese medicine, compared with placebo, can provide benefits to patients with the common cold, with no serious side effects having been identified in the included trials. A total of 6 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving 1502 participants were included. Most trials had a low risk of bias. Five were conducted in mainland China and 1 in Hong Kong; 5 were multicenter clinical trials and 1 was a single-center trial; 4 were published in Chinese and 2 were published in English. Compound formulas of TCM were superior to placebos in reducing disease symptoms, inducing recovery from a TCM syndrome, and increasing quality of life. In addition, the formulas were superior in shortening the duration of the main symptoms, the amount of time for a decline in temperature of at least 0.5°C to occur, and the duration of any fever. The team did not perform a summary meta-analysis due to clinical heterogeneity. No serious adverse event (AE) occurred in either the treatment or the control groups. This systematic review indicated that compound formulas of TCM, compared with placebo, can provide benefits to patients with the common cold, with no serious side effects having been identified in the included trials. However, due to the small number of included studies and of participants and the unclear risk of some biases in the included studies, more high-quality, large-scale RCTs are still warranted to clarify fully the effectiveness and safety of compound formulas of TCM in treating the common cold.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2015 in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology found that Four weeks of acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective option for clinical management of seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Melbourne area for patients' symptom relief and quality of life improvement. A total of 175 participants were included in this trial. RA was significantly better than SA for decreasing SAR symptom severity (sneezing, mean difference −0.28, 95% confidence interval −0.51 to −0.05; itchiness of ears and palate, mean difference −0.40, 95% confidence interval −0.69 to −0.11) at the end of treatment and improving participants' QoL at the end of the treatment and follow-up phases. Furthermore, the acupuncture treatment was safe and well tolerated.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal PLOS One found that Traditional Chinese Medicine, when used alongside dopamine replacement therapy, could potentially improve the severity of symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients. The study conducted a meta-analysis using electronic searches in PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journals Database and Wanfang data to find randomized trials evaluating the effectiveness of using TCM as an additional treatment to conventional treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score was used as a measure to determine the effectiveness of the therapies. The evaluation of the studies, which included 27 articles involving a total of 2314 patients from 1999-2013, showed marked improvements in the symptom score for patients undergoing combination treatment of TCM plus dopamine replacement therapy, particularly when compared to dopamine replacement therapy alone. More specifically, acupuncture as an add-on to traditional treatment showed substantial benefits for improving the symptom score of patients with Parkinson's disease. However, TCM as a standalone treatment did not improve the scores. The results also suggested that the effectiveness of using TCM as an adjunct therapy tends to be more noticeable in Parkinson's patients with longer durations of the added therapy. Overall, the use of TCM as an additional treatment was safe and well-tolerated by patients.

A Practice Guideline published in 2015 in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery found that Clinicians may offer acupuncture, or refer to a clinician who can offer acupuncture, for patients with allergic rhinitis who are interested in nonpharmacologic therapy. The primary purpose of this guideline is to address quality improvement opportunities for all clinicians, in any setting, who are likely to manage patients with allergic rhinitis, as well as to optimize patient care, promote effective diagnosis and therapy, and reduce harmful or unnecessary variations in care. The guideline is intended to be applicable for both pediatric and adult patients with allergic rhinitis. Children under the age of 2 years were excluded in this clinical practice guideline because rhinitis in this population may be different than in older patients and is not informed by the same evidence base.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that TCM pattern-based treatments for depression frequently use Xiao Yao and Chai Hu Shu Gan decoctions, with Bai Shao and Chai Hu herbs common across different TCM patterns. The methodology incorporated a systematic review of randomized controlled trials from both Chinese and English literatures regarding traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pattern-based treatments for depression. This encompassed a total of 61 studies and 2504 subjects across 27 TCM patterns. Due to varied TCM patterns among participants, the analysis focused on the four most prevalent ones: liver qi depression, liver depression and spleen deficiency, dual deficiency of the heart and spleen as well as liver depression and qi stagnation. In the discussion of results, it was found that Xiaoyao decoction was most frequently used for the treatment of liver qi depression and liver depression with spleen deficiency, whereas Chaihu Shugan decoction was typically used for liver depression and qi stagnation. Commonly used herbs regardless of the prescribed Chinese herbal formulas included Bai Shao and Chai Hu. Typically, the individual studies did not provide an underlying rationale for herb selection, limiting the conclusions one could draw regarding the efficacy of certain herbal formulas and the response of specific TCM patterns to these treatments.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2015 in the journal American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy found that Our meta-analysis suggests that that acupuncture could be a safe and valid treatment option for allergic rhinitis patients. Because acupuncture may modulate the immune system, it has been proposed as a useful treatment for patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Here, we assessed the evidence for the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for the management of AR patients by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literatures. Thirteen full papers that met our inclusion criteria were included, and a total of 2365 participants, including 1126 as treatment group and 1239 as control group, were enrolled. Compared with control group, acupuncture treatment group exerted a significant reduction in nasal symptom scores (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -4.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -8.42 to -0.43, p = 0.03), medication scores (WMD: 1.39, 95% CI: -2.18 to -0.61, p = 0005), and serum IgE (WMD: -75.00, 95% CI: -91.17 to -58.83, p < 0.00001). Data relating to Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36) component score in included studies were analyzed, which ultimately point to the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in improving quality of life in AR patients. No fatal events were reported in any of the included studies, and no serious systemic reaction, which needed treatment in the hospital, was related to the acupuncture treatment.

A Review Article published in 2014 in the journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America found that Traditional Chinese medicine can be effective in diagnosing and treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, offering an alternative to Western pharmacologic treatment. The provided methodology centered on an exploration and understanding of traditional Chinese medicine in diagnosing and treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The traditional theories of Chinese medicine that explain the cause and pathogenesis of ADHD were studied. From this perspective, they could define methods of syndrome differentiation, and provide a rationale for the treatment. The researchers also covered frequently accepted and successful clinical practices used by traditional Chinese medicine clinicians in China. In discussing the results, the authors provided support for the effectiveness of these traditional Chinese medicine practices in treating ADHD. They presented evidence from clinical practices in China which indicates considerable success in the diagnosis and management of the disorder utilizing these traditional methods. They particularly emphasized that these practices provide an alternative approach to Western pharmacological treatments, potentially offering more treatment options to ADHD patients.

A published in 2014 in the journal European Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is regularly used in treating upper respiratory tract infections, particularly for patients (more female patients in database found) with mild symptoms, using commonly preferred prescriptions, i.e Yin Qian San & Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang. In this study, data from the National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed with particular attention to the treatments used for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnoses codes for Taiwan in 2009, were used to identify these treatments. Techniques of data mining and association rules were deployed to examine co-prescriptions of TCM for patients with URTIs. Discussion of the results shows that out of a sample of 472,005 patients who sought treatment for URTIs, approximately 10 percent were treated with TCM and among these, over three-fifths were female. A majority - 79 percent - presented with an acute common cold. The study also noted that certain prescriptions, namely Yin-Qiao-San and Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang, were most commonly combined for patients with URTIs. The insight showed that patients were more likely to request TCM treatment if their symptoms were mild and they were women. Chinese medicine doctors treating URTIs generally adhered to TCM theory.

A Clinical Study published in 2014 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medical prescriptions showed a correlation with pattern diagnosis in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. In the methodology, clinical data encompassing patterns and prescriptions from the electronic medical records of patients with lupus at a medical center were gathered and processed. A specific coding system, termed the B-code, was used to encode patterns and prescriptions, offering a platform for processing and statistical analysis. Nonlinear canonical correlation analysis was then performed to investigate the connection between the patterns and prescriptions. Regarding the results, from the 261 valid patient visits collected, a total of 46 patterns and 193 prescriptions were encoded into 57 B-codes. Yin, Vacuity, Heat, and Dampness were the most frequently observed B-codes both in patterns and prescriptions. Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill, along with Miltiorrhizae Radix, were identified as the most frequently used formula and herb, respectively. The most effective variable sets correlating the patterns and prescriptions were Water-rheum, kidney, and stasis. This suggests a rationale for pattern differentiation and the principle of treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus.

A Systematic Review published in 2013 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy show greater effectiveness than oral sulphasalazine in treating inflammatory bowel diseases. For the methodology, seven significant databases, both domestic and international, were meticulously searched to accumulate and examine randomized controlled trials (RCTs). These trials specifically compared acupuncture and moxibustion as the main intervention to pharmacotherapy in treating Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In total, 43 RCTs were incorporated and examined, 10 of which distinctly compared oral sulphasalazine with acupuncture or/and moxibustion treatments. In regards to the results received, the study found that acupuncture and moxibustion therapy displayed superior results when compared with oral sulphasalazine. This conclusion is drawn from the meta-analysis of the 10 trials focusing specifically on these treatments. Even though the systemic review presented several limitations and a definitive conclusion wasn't reached, it still laid groundwork for the potential effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy in managing Inflammatory bowel diseases.

A Systematic Review published in 2013 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Radish seed has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, constipation, and cough. The dried ripe seed of Raphanus sativus L., commonly known as radish seed (or Raphani Semen), is used as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat constipation, chronic tracheitis, and hypertension. The major active compounds in Raphani Semen are alkaloids, glucosinolates, brassinosteroids, and flavonoids. Fatty acids are its main nutritional contents. Raphani Semen has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, constipation, and cough. So far, there is no report about the adverse/toxic effects of this herb on humans. However, Raphani Semen processed by roasting was reported to exhibit some adverse effects on mice. Additionally, erucic acid, the main fatty acid in Raphani Semen, was shown to enhance the toxicity of doxorubicin. Thus, Raphani Semen has a potential risk of causing toxicity and drug interaction. In summary, Raphani Semen is a valuable TCM herb with multiple pharmacological effects. More studies on Raphani Semen could help better understand its pharmacological mechanisms so as to provide clear scientific evidence to explain its traditional uses, to identify its therapeutic potential on other diseases, and to understand its possible harmful effects.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2012 in the journal Allergy found that Acupuncture was found to be a more effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis than sham acupuncture or no treatment. Methodology: The study was a multicenter, parallel-controlled experiment. Three groups of randomized participants either received active acupuncture, sham acupuncture (minimal acupuncture at nonacupuncture points), or were placed on a waitlist (no acupuncture treatment). The treatments were given three times a week over a four-week period. Discussion of Results: The active acupuncture group showed a marked reduction in allergic rhinitis symptoms compared to the other two groups. Despite this, both acupuncture types still showed significant improvements in symptoms when compared to their initial condition, confirming the efficacy of acupuncture in treating allergic rhinitis.

A Systematic Review published in 2012 in the journal Molecular Biology Reports found that Traditional Chinese medicines had a better effect on the normalization of alanine aminotransferase and disappearance of radiological steatosis in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. RCTs comparing either TCM formulations alone or in combination with placebo, ursodeoxycholic acid, insulin sensitizers, lipid-lowering drugs, or antioxidants were included. The category of most usually used herbs in the treatment of NAFLD was also calculated. Five thousand nine hundred and four patients from 62 RCTs were included for meta-analysis and 25,661 patients from 419 clinical studies were for TCM formulation analysis. Comparing with western medicines mentioned above, TCM had a better effect on the normalization of alanine aminotransferase and disappearance of radiological steatosis in the treatment of NAFLD. Furthermore, 246 kinds of Chinese herbs were included in our present study, with an average of 10 herbs (range 1–31) in each formulation. Hawthorn Fruit (321 times in 17,670 patients) was the most often used herb in the treatment of NAFLD. In conclusion, TCM is of modest benefit to the treatment of NAFLD.

A Systematic Review published in 2012 in the journal PLOS One found that Most studies suggest that acupuncture can modulate the activity within specific brain areas, and the evidence based on meta-analyses confirmed some of these results. Brain response to acupuncture stimuli encompasses a broad network of regions consistent with not just somatosensory, but also affective and cognitive processing. While published results on acupuncture and fMRI were heterogeneous, from a descriptive perspective most studies suggest that acupuncture can modulate the brain activity within specific brain areas, and the evidence based on meta-analyses confirmed part of these results. Future studies should further improve methodological aspects and reporting related to both fMRI and acupuncture, and strictly control experimental conditions for more robust inference. Specifically, direct contrast analyses should be used to contrast different stimulus conditions (e.g. verum versus sham acupuncture) when evaluating research questions concerning acupuncture specificity.

A Systematic Review published in 2010 in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that Effectiveness of acupuncture in treating primary dysmenorrhea. The passage discusses the potential effectiveness of acupuncture-related therapies in treating primary dysmenorrhea, a common gynecologic disorder. While up to 50% of menstruating females experience this condition, it significantly impacts their quality of life. Acupuncture, along with related techniques like acupressure, acupoint injections, and moxibustion, is considered a safe intervention. However, the review indicates conflicting results in trials comparing these therapies with control treatments. Notably, a meticulously conducted trial suggests that acupuncture may be more effective than control groups. Despite this, due to limitations in methodology, sample size, and outcome measures across the studies, there remains a need for larger, well-designed, randomized, and blinded trials to conclusively evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture-related therapies for primary dysmenorrhea.

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