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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 Herbal" 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 Herbal" 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 Herbal" 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 Data Mining published in 2026 in the journal Brain Research found that Chronic Insomnia Disorder is marked by poor integration within the default mode network, with herbal medicine and Estazolam showing differing effects on neural homogeneity in the brain. The researchers utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine network homogeneity in the default mode network among 82 Chronic Insomnia Disorder patients and 65 healthy controls. 52 patients were treated with a type of herbal medicine known as Modified Suanzaoren Decoction, while 30 received Estazolam. Network homogeneity was calculated for the default mode network, and the researchers noted differences at baseline, changes following treatment, and correlations with clinical outcome scores. A machine learning model was also used to determine whether network homogeneity features could help differentiate patients from healthy controls. In terms of results, at the start, patients with Chronic Insomnia Disorder showed wide-ranging abnormal homogeneity in different regions of the default mode network when compared to healthy individuals. After treatment, an increase in homogeneity was observed in two specific areas across both patient groups. Most notably, a distinction was noted in one region where network homogeneity increased following herbal treatment, but decreased with Estazolam. Baseline homogeneity in certain regions positively correlated with the severity of insomnia and anxiety. The machine learning model successfully distinguished patients from healthy controls based on network homogeneity features.

A Systematic Review published in 2026 in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology found that Oral Chinese herbal formulas have shown potential for improving hormone levels in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency, but their safety and overall efficacy remains unclear. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was conducted by searching through eight bibliographic databases, clinical trial registry platforms, and the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry until May 30, 2026. The aim was to compare hormone replacement therapy (HRT)-based regimens with pure oral Chinese herbal formulas within three specific categories of therapeutic principles. Emphasis was placed on evaluating menstrual return and levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and anti-Müllerian hormone, designated as primary surrogate biomarkers indicative of ovarian function. 41 HRT-controlled trials fitting the specified criteria were incorporated into the study. The review found no distinctive differences in menstrual return between participants using HRT and those using herbal formulas. However, hormone level analysis showed a preference towards herbal formulas for improving levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and anti-Müllerian hormone. Concurrently, these results were associated with high uncertainty due to their surrogate nature. Furthermore, the study also noted that fewer adverse events were reported among participants taking herbal formulas. Nevertheless, safety imperatives associated with herbal formulas could not be established due to incomplete reporting. Additionally, the study could not establish any comparative superiority among the specific categories of herbal formulas based on kidney-tonifying principles.

A Experimental Study published in 2026 in the journal Brain and Behavior found that Suanzao Ren Decoction can alleviate anxiety behaviour in rats under chronic unpredictable stress by improving cognitive dysfunction and reducing oxidative stress and autophagy. In the study, a rat model of anxiety was created using chronic unpredictable stress. To assess the rats' anxiety state, the researchers utilized the open field test and an elevated cross maze. The cognitive function of the rats was evaluated using the Morris water maze. Histopathological alterations of the hippocampus were studied using HE staining and the protein expression of 5-HTR, Parkin, and PINK1 in the hippocampus was analysed through Western blotting. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe mitochondrial autophagy in the hippocampus. The results showed that treatment with Suanzao Ren Decoction considerably extended rat's spontaneous movement, increased open arm entry times, open arm retention rate and platform crossings, and reduced escape latency. It was noted that the significant improvement occurred in the pathological damage seen in the hippocampus's CA1 area. In addition, there was a noteworthy increase in the levels of SOD, CAT, GSH, 5-HT, and TPH-2 and a decrease in MDA levels. The treatment also produced a decrease in protein expressions of 5-HTR, Parkin, and PINK1 as well as reducing the number of autophagic lysosomes.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2026 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that The Chinese herbal formulation SHG may alleviate chronic pain and enhance the overall health of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, thirty patients diagnosed with both rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to receive either SHG, a Chinese herbal formulation, or a placebo twice daily for four weeks, with a subsequent eight-week follow-up. The study's primary focus was the shift in pain intensity measured using the visual analog scale. Additional analyses included evaluations of the patients' global assessments, tender and swollen joint counts, fibromyalgia-specific measurements, and assessments of a range of symptoms such as fatigue, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression. In terms of results, 26 patients concluded the trial. Significant interactions for pain measurements, patient and physician global assessments and tender joint counts were observed over time for the SHG group compared to the placebo group. Improvements in the aforementioned factors persisted at week eight post-treatment in the SHG group. For fibromyalgia-related outcomes, notably, the symptom severity score and depression scale showed a meaningful improvement in the SHG group. While certain scores for fatigue and insomnia also improved within the SHG group, these did not differ significantly between the groups. No severe adverse events occurred, indicating a safety profile akin to the placebo.

A Clinical Study published in 2026 in the journal Brain and Behavior found that The study found that traditional Chinese medicine and benzodiazepines alleviate insomnia differently, with the former easing hyperarousal states and the latter triggering adaptive regulation for quick sedation. The methodology of this study involved 82 patients with chronic insomnia disorder and 80 healthy controls. The patients with insomnia were split into two groups where one received a traditional Chinese medicine treatment called modified suanzaoren decoction and the other group was given estazolam, a commonly used insomnia treatment, for a total of six weeks. The research team used Granger causality analysis anchored on precuneus subregions to identify changes in effective connectivity before and after treatment. Further, a neuroimaging-transcription association analysis was carried out to identify potential gene linkages with these alterations in brain connectivity. The results of the analysis showed increased effective connectivity from the precuneus to the right postcentral/precentral gyrus and left lingual gyrus in patients with insomnia compared to healthy controls. Conversely, decreased effective connectivity from certain areas like the bilateral postcentral/precentral gyrus, right cerebellum crus VIIB, and right calcarine cortex to the precuneus were seen. Post-treatment, there were significant changes in connectivity from the bilateral midcingulate cortex to the precuneus, as well as from the bilateral midcingulate cortex, left postcentral gyrus, and right supramarginal gyrus to the precuneus. The researchers found genes associated with these effective connectivities. Overall, the findings suggest that the abnormal connectivity between the precuneus and areas in the sensory-motor and visual networks could be indicative of hyperarousal states and compensatory responses in insomnia. The traditional Chinese medicine appeared to reduce the hyperarousal state, whereas benzodiazepines brought about adaptive regulation due to their immediate sedative effects.

A Systematic Review published in 2026 in the journal Medicine found that Acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine is more efficacious in treating gastric ulcers than just Chinese herbal medicine alone. In this study, a broad search was executed in both Chinese and international databases to locate relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effectiveness of acupuncture, in conjunction with Chinese herbal medicine, as a treatment for gastric ulcers. Criteria such as efficacy rates, recurrence rates, eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori, gastrin levels, and adverse events were taken into account. Using an established risk assessment tool, each study was evaluated for quality before the collated data was analyzed using dedicated software. In the study's results, it was found that a total of 17 RCTs, encompassing 1632 patients, met eligibility requirements for the meta-analysis. The results indicated that the use of acupuncture in tandem with Chinese herbal medicine surpassed non-acupuncture Chinese medicine approaches in several measures. These included overall efficacy, eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori, recurrence rate, and gastrin levels, implying that acupuncture may be an effective complementary therapy. Additionally, there was no reported increase in adverse events, pointing towards a seemingly favorable safety profile in clinical applications.

A Experimental Study published in 2026 in the journal Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis found that Suanzaoren Tang may alleviate insomnia by balancing neurotransmitters, and suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress, possibly through gut microbiota-metabolite-brain axis modulation and glial cell activity restoration. An integrated multi-omics approach was employed, starting with UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis to identify the compounds present in Suanzaoren Tang (SZRT). The study induced insomnia in rats by intraperitoneal administration of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). Behavioral evaluations were conducted to judge sleep quality, alongside ELISA and immunofluorescence procedures to detect changes in neurotransmitter and inflammatory marker levels, respectively. Further methodologies included untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing to elucidate SZRT's effect on gut microbiota composition and various metabolic pathways. The study found that treatment using PCPA significantly extended sleep latency and altered neurochemical profiles of the subjects, demonstrated through decreased levels of neurotransmitters γ-aminobutyric acid and 5-hydroxytryptamine, and increased levels of glutamate, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and CYP2E1 expression. Immunofluorescence further revealed reduced glial cell function and associated serotonergic dysregulation in the PCPA group. The intervention of SZRT, however, reversed these changes. In addition, PCPA was found to disrupt gut microbial composition, the adverse effects of which were remedied by SZRT administration. Through metabolomics, the study identified key differentiated metabolites that hinted at SZRT's restoration of neurotransmitter homeostasis and reduced inflammation through microbiota-metabolite interactions.

A Cohort Study published in 2026 in the journal Medicine found that Suanzaoren decoction appears to improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with some benefits also observed in objective sleep parameters. In this retrospective study, clinical data were collected from hospitalized patients with lung cancer who reported sleep disturbances. From this dataset, 38 patients who received Suanzaoren decoction as part of their treatment in addition to standard care were compared to 37 patients who only received standard care. Sleep quality was evaluated using a specific sleep quality assessment tool, and fatigue levels were assessed using a cancer fatigue scale. For patients with available data, objective sleep parameters were also tracked using actigraphy monitoring. The primary findings of the study showed that patients who were administered Suanzaoren decoction had notably lower scores in sleep quality assessment after treatment compared to the control group. Similarly, their fatigue scores were also considerably lower. Actigraphy-informed parameters indicated that total sleep duration and the proportion of deep sleep were higher in the group that received the Suanzaoren decoction. No adverse reactions were recorded in the study.

A Experimental Study published in 2026 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Zhichi Suanzaoren Decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, alleviates insomnia and anxiety by restoring hippocampal astrocyte cilia through Foxj1 upregulation. Methodology: The primary components of Zhichi Suanzaoren Decoction were analyzed in both positive and negative ion modes using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time of Flight/Mass Spectrometry. A perimenopausal insomnia model was established through bilateral ovariectomy in mice, which was then treated with the decoction. The team conducted behavioral tests and sleep synergy experiments to assess the anti-insomnia and anxiolytic effects of the decoction. Further, to investigate the mechanistic details, techniques such as ELISA, Nissl staining, immunohistochemistry, transcriptome sequencing, immunofluorescence staining, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and adeno-associated virus-mediation were employed. Results: The analyses indicated the presence of 97 chemical components in the aqueous extract of the decoction. The treatment improved sleep, reduced anxiety in mice, increased the levels of GABA in the hippocampus, and decreased serum ACTH, CORT, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels. Further, the decoction displayed a protective effect on hippocampal neurons and reduced neuroinflammation. On a transcriptomic and protein level, the decoction was shown to inhibit Wnt signaling by promoting Foxj1 expression and restoring primary cilia in astrocytes. This dual effect led to the activation of the GSK-3β/GR signaling pathway, restoring HPA axis function and reversing glucocorticoid resistance, and to the suppression of β-catenin nuclear translocation and astrocyte-driven neuroinflammation.

A Clinical Study published in 2026 in the journal Brain Research found that Suanzaoren decoction improves sleep quality in chronic insomnia disorder patients, who showed altered sensorimotor network function linked to multiple neurotransmitter systems. In the methodology, two groups of chronic insomnia disorder (CID) patients, totaling 82 individuals, and 54 healthy controls were studied. One group of CID patients received Suanzaoren decoction (SZRD) while the other received estazolam, both over a span of six weeks. The groups were analyzed for functional connectivity (FC) and effective connectivity (EC) in the sensorimotor network (SMN). Transcriptome-neuroimaging correlation analysis was also utilized to identify the associated gene profile and neurotransmitter distributions in relation to the changes in FC and EC values. In the discussions of the results, the study found that SZRD treatment effectively improved sleep quality in the CID patients. Additionally, it was seen that CID patients showed significant differences in the FC and EC of SMN compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, these differences were related to multiple neurotransmitter systems. Moreover, specific genes linked to FC and EC among CID patients were identified and these were mainly involved in the biological processes like synaptic and ion transmission. It was also found that estazolam somehow altered the EC from the right fusiform gyrus to the left lateral SMN among CID patients, while SZRD treatment had minimal influence on SMN-related changes.

A Experimental Study published in 2025 in the journal Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine found that The administration of Suanzaoren Decoction can alleviate anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in mice by modulating activity in their basolateral amygdala neurons. Methodology: The research employed male C57BL/6J mice sub-divided into four different groups: control, chronic restraint stress, Suanzaoren Decoction, and fluoxetine. The stress models were established by restraining the mice for six hours a day over 21 days, with the control group remaining in their cages without food or water during this period. The Suanzaoren Decoction and fluoxetine groups received daily administration of their respective substances 30 minutes before restraint, continuing for the 21 day period. Behavioral tests were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Suanzaoren Decoction. Discussion of Results: The study found that administration of Suanzaoren Decoction resulted in increased time spent in the open arms, reduced immobility time, and downregulated stress-induced expression and firing of neurons in the basolateral amygdala. Most notably, the decoction exhibited an ability to selectively attenuate excitatory, but not inhibitory, synaptic transmission onto these neurons, leading to alleviation of induced anxiety and depression-like behaviors.

A Experimental Study published in 2025 in the journal Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that The partial extract of Chinese remedy, Suan-Zao-Ren-Tang, can enhance the effectiveness of vinorelbine in treating non-small cell lung cancer through amplification of spindle assembly checkpoint activation. The study methodology involved the fractionation of Suan-Zao-Ren-Tang, specifically its B7E2 partial extract, guided by its bioactivity in the non-small cell lung cancer cell lines A549 and NCI-H460. Examination of components and bioactivity, along with a mechanistic study, were performed on three different preparations of B7E2 and their individual components. The core components responsible for B7E2 activity were identified as senkyunolide-A, -neocnidilide, 3-butylidenephthalide, betulinic acid, and linoleic acid. The results of this study demonstrated that while B7E2 alone had no cytotoxic effect, its use in combination with vinorelbine significantly increased the rate of cell death in non-small cell lung cancer cells due to a synergistic activity. This was further confirmed by identifying heightened activation of caspase and phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, markers of apoptosis. Additionally, this combination treatment lengthened mitotic arrest and substantially activated the spindle assembly checkpoint, as observed by the phosphorylation of BUBR1 and the upregulation of cyclin B1. It also increased the interaction between components of the mitotic checkpoint complex.

A Systematic Review published in 2025 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese Herbal Medicine combined with conventional therapy shows promising effectiveness and safety for managing multiple sclerosis. The study used a systematic review and meta-analysis of 28 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), involving a total of 1,971 participants, to evaluate the effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) on MS. The researchers undertook a comprehensive review of eight relevant databases, reliance on key outcome measures such as the expanded disability status scale, annual relapse rate, neurological signs scores, clinical symptoms scores, and the modified fatigue impact scale, and utilization of the Cochrane Handbook for systematic reviews for risk bias evaluation. Quantitative synthesis was performed with the use of astatistical software. The results of the study showed that the combination of CHM and conventional therapy was more effective than conventional therapy alone for people with MS. Specifically, the combined therapy resulted in decreased levels in disability status, relapse rate, neurological signs, and fatigue impact. In addition to this, there was a noted improvement in clinical effects following the combined treatments. Significantly, the study reported no serious side effects associated with the addition of CHM to traditional treatment methods.

A Data Mining published in 2025 in the journal Asian Journal of Psychiatry found that Suanzaoren decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, enhances cognitive function and improves Chronic Insomnia Disorder symptoms by adjusting brain functions. In the methodology, 82 patients diagnosed with Chronic Insomnia Disorder and 54 healthy controls were examined using fMRI scans before and after a six-week treatment with either suanzaoren decoction or estazolam. Changes in brain function were evaluated with a mixed-effects model analysis. Machine learning and transcriptome-neuroimaging spatial correlation analysis were employed to predict the effectiveness of the treatment and to understand its connection with specific genetic profiles. In discussing the results, it was noted that the Chronic Insomnia Disorder patients exhibited differences in certain parts of the brain compared to the healthy controls. Both treatment groups saw improvements in their sleep duration and efficiency. However, only the group treated with suanzaoren decoction exhibited distinct changes in specific areas of the brain, with the researchers concluding that these abnormal ReHo changes might serve as imaging markers for Chronic Insomnia Disorder and help predict both drug efficacy and related gene expression profiles.

A Clinical Study published in 2025 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found that Modified suanzaoren decoction (SZRD) and esazolam were equally effective in treating chronic insomnia but the latter excelled in improving subjective sleep quality. Methodology: In this study, 80 participants diagnosed with chronic insomnia disorder were divided into two treatment groups. One group was treated with the traditional Chinese medicine, modified suanzaoren decoction (SZRD), and the other group received esazolam tablets. The treatment duration was 6 weeks. Several indices, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, and polysomnographic measures, were recorded. These metrics helped assess the changes in sleep, mood, and cognitive function amongst the subjects. Results: Comparing within each group, both treatments showed improvements in subjective sleep, depression, anxiety, immediate and delayed memory scores. However, when comparing between the groups, a significant difference was noted in subjective sleep quality scores. The study demonstrated an increase in the duration of N3 stage (deep sleep) in both groups, showing equal efficacy in improving deep sleep. However, when assessing stability over time, esazolam had higher predictive stability in improving subjective sleep quality, while SZRD had higher predictive stability in maintaining slow-wave (N3 stage) sleep.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2025 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Combining Chinese herbal medicines with high-intensity focused ultrasound improves the clinical effectiveness in treating uterine fibroids. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials, in English and Chinese databases until May 2024, to assess the combined effects of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) on uterine fibroids. The quality of these studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, and the results were analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software. The primary outcomes considered were changes in fibroid volume and clinical effectiveness, while secondary outcomes included changes in uterus volume, Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome scores, recurrence rates, and adverse reactions. The study found that the combination of CHMs and HIFU had a greater impact on reducing uterine fibroid volumes and had a higher clinical efficacy rate than HIFU therapy alone. A total of 26 single herbs and 93 commonly used herbal combinations were identified. The most frequently used herbs were: Curcumae Rhizoma, Sparganii Rhizoma, Astragalus membranaceus, Poria cocos, Paeonia suffruticosa, and Trionyx sinensis. Furthermore, the study proposed a dual-phase mechanism through which core CHMs might enhance the effectiveness of HIFU. This mechanic involves promoting apoptosis during thermal ablation and modulating fibrotic and proliferation signaling pathways in the post-ablation phase.

A Network Pharmacology published in 2025 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that The traditional Chinese medicine, Jiawei Suanzaoren, potentially protects against depression-related neurodegeneration by targeting immune regulation and reducing cell apoptosis. For the methodology, active compounds of Jiawei Suanzaoren were identified using traditional Chinese medicine and HERB databases, while depression-related targets were taken from GeneCards, DisGeNET, and OMIM. A protein-protein interaction network was made, followed by functional enrichment analyses of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The interaction between Jiawei Suanzaoren's active components and key target proteins was anticipated using molecular docking. In vitro experiments were conducted on corticosterone-induced PC12 cell model to validate Jiawei Suanzaoren's neuroprotective effects by examining cell viability and apoptosis rates. In discussion of results, network pharmacology and molecular docking unveiled that Jiawei Suanzaoren protects the neurons through multiple targets like estrogen receptor ESR2, HSP90AA1, and STAT1. These targets manage immune responses, inflammatory pathways, and cell survival. In vitro, Jiawei Suanzaoren substantially enhanced cell viability and diminished apoptosis in corticosterone-treated PC12 cells, suggesting its potential to shield against depression-associated neurodegeneration.

A Data Mining published in 2025 in the journal The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry found that The treatment of chronic insomnia disorder, through pharmacotherapy, influences the functional activity in different parts of the patient's brain. In the methodology, the research used imaging data and clinical variables from 82 patients with chronic insomnia disorder and 54 healthy controls. The patients were treated with either a modified Suanzaoren decoction or estazolam for six weeks. Using a variety of techniques including the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, Wavelet-ALFF, and fractional ALFF, the spontaneous brain activity of the participants was evaluated. Additionally, machine learning and cross-sample transcriptomic analyses were conducted. In the discussion of results, it was found that compared to healthy controls, patients with chronic insomnia disorder showed increased functional activity in parts of the brain such as the left precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, left superior parietal gyrus, and bilateral angular gyrus - and decreased activity in the right inferior parietal gyrus and bilateral middle frontal gyrus. It was further noted that after undergoing pharmacotherapy, patients who were given the modified Suanzaoren decoction exhibited increased activity in the left middle occipital gyrus compared to their initial state. Therefore, it can be suggested that variances in brain activity in areas of the default mode network, frontoparietal network, and visual network may contribute to the mechanisms of pathology and treatment of chronic insomnia disorder.

A Systematic Review published in 2025 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Combining Shugan Sanjie Decoction with either Mifepristone or Leuprolide acetate appears to be a compelling treatment option for uterine fibroids, improving clinical effectiveness and hormone regulation. The research employed a systematic search of eight digital medical databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). These trials evaluated the use of Shugan Sanjie Decoction in combination with either Mifepristone or Leuprolide acetate for treating uterine fibroids. The selected RCTs made direct comparisons between Shugan Sanjie Decoction combined with either Mifepristone or Leuprolide acetate and the use of Mifepristone or Leuprolide acetate on their own with primary outcome being the Clinical Effective Rate. Secondary outcomes considered were uterine fibroid volume, uterine volume, serum sex hormone levels, and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Scores. Analysis of data from twelve RCTs with a total of 952 participants was carried out. The meta-analysis revealed that the combined use of Shugan Sanjie Decoction with either Mifepristone or Leuprolide acetate markedly improved the total effective rate of treatment for uterine fibroids compared with using Mifepristone or Leuprolide acetate singly. This combined treatment option was observed to be more effective and was associated with improved sex hormone modulation. Despite some limitations regarding study quality and heterogeneity of the trials, these findings illuminate a potentially beneficial treatment option for uterine fibroids.

A Systematic Review published in 2025 in the journal CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics found that Chaihu Shugan powder shows promise in treating depression symptoms in animals, impacting factors such as inflammation, HPA axis regulation, neurotrophic factors, and glucose metabolism. The methodology for the study was a systematic meta-analysis review of a range of databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and others with studies on CSP's antidepressant effects on animal models. Statistical analyses were conducted using R Studio software. The discussion of the study results reveals that CSP exhibited a notable effect on various behavioral tests for animal models of depression. Besides, it seemingly affected behavioral factors like forced swimming, sucrose preference, and open field test results such as rearing and crossing numbers. Its impact was also seen on body weight. CSP's therapeutic potential links to its anti-inflammatory qualities, its regulation of the HPA axis, contributions to neurotrophic factors, and the modulation of glucose metabolism.

A Experimental Study published in 2025 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese medicine, specifically Jiawei Suanzaoren Tang, demonstrates a significant therapeutic effect on people with perimenopausal insomnia characterized by yin deficiency and fire excess. The study first enrolled 80 cases of perimenopausal insomnia with yin deficiency and fire excess type, then divided them into two groups - a control group treated with lorazepam and a treatment group given Jiawei Suanzaoren decoction over 4 weeks. Several key metrics were observed before and after the treatment, including sleep quality, hormone levels, and certain symptoms. Alongside this, the study conducted a network pharmacology analysis where they used public databases to find targets associated with Jiawei Suanzaoren Tang as well as those predicted as insomnia targets, ultimately identifying enriched gene pathways and networks. An animal study involving rats was also conducted, using 30 perimenopausal insomnia rat models, comparing the effects of normal saline, lorazepam suspension, and Jiawei Suanzaoren decoction. In observation, the sleep condition and hormone level changes were significantly different between the treatment and control groups. The findings suggest that Jiawei Suanzaoren Tang could improve sleep by regulating the neuroactive ligand receptor interaction signaling pathway, inhibiting relevant proteins. They also observed that the decoction could significantly improve the sleep conditions of perimenopausal rats with insomnia and impact the level of specific hormone receptors in the hypothalamus. The mechanism seems to be linked to the regulation of specific hormones and the expression levels of certain receptors in the hypothalamus.

A Experimental Study published in 2025 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Suanzaoren Decoction can alleviate anxiety-induced cardiac insufficiency by improving cardiomyocyte health and cardiac function through inhibiting specific nervous system pathways. The study initially established an anxiety model by inducing chronic restraint stress in mice. Mice inflicted with cardiac insufficiency were then orally administered with Suanzaoren Decoction. The therapeutic effects on cardiac health and function were evaluated through methods such as echocardiography, tissue staining and enzyme activity assays. Potential drug targets for Suanzaoren Decoction in treating cardiac insufficiency were predicted through network pharmacology and molecular docking. The drug's influence on a protein called CaMKII was specifically examined using accessible databases, confirmed through immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis in the mouse hearts. The study showed that Suanzaoren Decoction acts as an anti-anxiety agent, evidenced by behavioral changes in the mice. The drug also ameliorated cardiac insufficiency, indicated by an improved left ventricular ejection fraction and mitigated cardiomyocyte damage and inflammation. They also found that the Suanzaoren Decoction did not modify anxiety-related changes in the levels of norepinephrine and acetylcholine. The potential mechanism of Suanzaoren Decoction was identified to revolve around 13 active compounds that target a specific protein called CaMKII. It was found to influence the expression and phosphorylation of CaMKII, with additional significance in the modulation of certain nervous system pathways.

A published in 2025 in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies found that Chinese herbal medicine potentially reduces chemotherapy-related hot flashes and improves life quality in breast cancer patients, with no severe side effects noted. In the conducted non-randomized controlled trial, 48 participants with stage I-III breast cancer were divided into either a 24-week herbal treatment group or a control group. The herbal intervention involved a blend of two Chinese herbs, Jia Wei Xiao Yao San and Er Zhi Wan, administered in a 3:1 ratio, with a total daily dose of 4 grams taken three times a day. The primary outcome measured was the frequency and severity of hot flushes, rated using a visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes included patient's quality of life evaluated via a specific cancer therapy questionnaire, and meridian energy analysis assessed sympathetic activity and skin electrical conductance. Participants who completed the trial, 25 in the herbal treatment group and 18 in the control group, showed remarkable results. The herbal treatment group saw a significant reduction in hot flush frequency at different intervals and a decrease in hot flush severity. Participants' physical well-being and particular concerns improved significantly in the treatment group versus the control group over time. Although there were no significant changes in overall electrical conductance at acupoints associated with the herbal treatment, specific meridians, including the heart, liver, and kidney, were significantly affected. Furthermore, after completing chemotherapy, sympathetic activity reduced in the treatment group.

A Review Article published in 2024 in the journal Medicine found that Chaihu Shugan San, a traditional Chinese medicine, provides significant relief of physical and psychological symptoms associated with perimenopausal syndrome. The research methodology utilised a multi-pronged approach that took into account existing classical literature, the underlying mechanisms, pharmacological effects, and clinical studies relevant to the use of Chaihu Shugan San (CSS) in addressing perimenopausal syndrome. The complexity and wide-ranging pharmacological effects of the CSS composition were considered as these factors contribute to its observed therapeutic effects. While the researchers did not provide a thoroughly clear explanation of the CSS's therapeutic mechanism, they comprehensively reviewed each facet of relevant data. Findings drawn from numerous clinical experiments and pharmacological studies demonstrated that CSS significantly aids in the treatment of perimenopausal syndrome symptoms. These symptoms, including menstrual disorders and insomnia, are increasingly common among women and are connected to fluctuating or decreasing sexual hormone levels during the pre- and postmenopausal periods. The research emphasises the importance of understanding and applying traditional Chinese medicine in modern clinical practices, particularly regarding women's health.

A Experimental Study published in 2024 in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience found that Suanzaoren Decoction, a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, can improve insomnia and depression by modifying gut microbiome and balancing metabolic pathways associated with both disorders. Through utilizing ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the research examines 66 chemical constituents within Suanzaoren Decoction, a popular traditional Chinese herbal formulation. The experiment uses various dosages of Suanzaoren Decoction on rat models presenting symptoms of insomnia and depression. Injecting low-dose Suanzaoren Decoction substantially improves insomnia symptoms while administration of a high-dose significantly alleviates depressive behaviors in the experimental subjects. The research also observes significant changes in the gut microbiota of the experimental subjects, characterized by an enlarged population of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids. Additionally, they found metabolic profiles indicating imbalance in affected rats, especially noticeable in reduced levels of certain amino acid metabolites and modifications in neurotransmitter metabolism within the brain. Suanzaoren Decoction restores a healthy balance in gut microbiota, reestablishes fecal short-chain fatty acid levels, and corrects metabolic disturbances in both body fluid and brain tissue. This highlights how regulation of gut microbiome and metabolic pathways are key areas through which the therapeutic effects of Suanzaoren Decoction are mediated, forming a scientific rationale for its usage in managing insomnia and depression.

A Systematic Review published in 2024 in the journal Frontiers in Immunology found that The quality of randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine for multiple sclerosis is generally inadequate, with poor reporting around study design and verification of herbal ingredients. Nine major databases were scoured from their inception up until September 2023, with studies that took the form of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Chinese herbal medicine with a placebo or other pharmacological interventions for multiple sclerosis being eligible for consideration. Quality was evaluated through the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and its derivative for Chinese herbal medicine formulas. Additionally, the risk of bias was evaluated through the use of the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The selection process of herbs was based on those that appeared the most frequently in successful trials. In the discussion of results, it was found that only 33% of the CONSORT items and 21% of the CONSORT-CHM items had been correctly reported. Key elements including the official titles, the calculation of sample sizes, the unbiased distribution of participants into groups, the execution of randomized protocols and blinding descriptions, all fell below a 5% reporting rate. Insufficient information led to most studies being classified as 'unclear' in terms of bias risk. Despite this, no significant adverse effects were reported in the trials.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2023 in the journal Medicine found that The Modified Suanzaoren decoction effectively improves cognitive function in stroke patients with insomnia possibly by regulating hormones in brain-body communication pathways. In the methodology of this research study, a total of 80 participants, all of whom suffered from cognitive impairment and insomnia following stroke, were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group was treated with the Modified Suanzaoren decoction while the control group received zolpidem. Over a period of four weeks, the cognitive function, sleep quality, depression, and anxiety disorders of each group were examined, while also evaluating stroke severity and functional independence. Hormone levels in the brain-body communication pathways were also monitored. In regard to the results, the study found that the Modified Suanzaoren decoction had a more positive impact on cognitive improvement than the control group, while the two groups had a similar effect on mitigating insomnia. No significant differences were observed between the groups in daily living activities and stroke severity improvement. Further, the treatment group demonstrated superior improvement in depressive states and showed more significant reductions in cortisol levels. Improved levels of a hormone produced by the thyroid gland were also more significant in the treatment group than the control group. Despite some participants dropping out, these distinctions remained noteworthy.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal PLOS One found that Oral Chinese herbal medicines appear to enhance recovery when used as supplements to conventional treatment after sinus surgery. This study systematically reviews and conducts a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, gathered from a wide range of nine databases and clinical trial registries, to evaluate the impact of orally administered Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) on the post-surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis. The participants across these trials included adults and children diagnosed with sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, who had undergone surgery. The added interventions were orally consumed CHMs post-surgery in tandem with traditional post-surgery management. The control groups received only the conventional management without CHMs. The results from a variety of measures including Sino-Nasal Outcome Test, visual analogue scales, various computed tomography scores, and mucociliary transport rates showed greater improvements in the group consuming oral CHMs in addition to the post-surgery treatment, versus the control. Particularly, enhancements were noticeable at follow-up stages after the end of treatment. However, the reporting of adverse events was incomplete across the trials. The study also found that the quality of the studies and their reporting varied, with many studies not being blinded and some results showing substantial heterogeneity.

A Experimental Study published in 2023 in the journal Chinese Herbal Medicines found that Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) possess multiple advantages, including multiple targets, pathways, and low toxicity, for the treatment of prostate cancer. The research team undertook an in-depth review of experimental research and clinical practices related to the use of CHMs for prostate cancer treatment, with the data being sourced from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The focus of the review was on recent studies published within the last five years. The research identified five CHM formulas and six single CHM extracts, along with 12 CHM-derived compounds. The research findings demonstrated that CHMs induced apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest in prostate cancer cells, and concurrently suppressed angiogenesis, proliferation, and cell migration. The CHMs also displayed efficacy in overturning drug resistance and in enhancing anti-tumor immunity. The modes of action were identified as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase-B/mammalian target of rapamycin, androgen receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathways which are known to play key roles in the development of prostate cancer. Additionally, the researchers discussed the benefits of CHMs in treating hormone-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer.

A Review Article published in 2023 in the journal Chinese Herbal Medicines found that Chinese herbal medicines could potentially relieve ulcerative colitis by moderating the gut microbiota and intestinal immunity loop. The study emphasizes on the possible use of Chinese herbal medicines, which include single herbs, herbal formulas and derived constituents, in treating ulcerative colitis (UC), a recurring inflammatory bowel disease. With a focus on how these medicines interact with and modify the gut microbiota, the mechanism involves regulating the intestinal homeostasis to counter UC. It deals with balancing microbial dysbiosis, or the imbalance of microbes in the body, and abnormal gut immunity, two key initiators of inflammatory responses in UC. The paper reviews several clinical trials which have been conducted, all exhibiting the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicines on patients diagnosed with UC. In the trials, these derived substances have shown a protective effect against UC, offering the potential possibility of them being explored as conventional methods of UC treatments in the future. Not every trial has resulted in absolute success, but the overall results are promising and indicate a robust potential direction for UC treatment science.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that The combination of Guizhi Fuling Capsule with low-dose mifepristone is more effective and safe in the treatment of uterine fibroids. This study summarises the findings from twenty-eight randomized controlled trials, involving a total of 2813 patients, focusing on the efficacy and safety of Guizhi Fuling Capsule combined with low-dose mifepristone in treating uterine fibroids. The trials were identified through a comprehensive search of eight literature databases and two clinical trial registries, followed by a data analysis using several software tools. The results indicate that this combination yielded a significant reduction in follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, uterine fibroids' volume, uterine volume, and menstrual flow. Furthermore, it increased the clinical efficiency rate. Compared to low-dose mifepristone alone, the combination did not significantly increase the incidence of adverse drug reactions, indicating its relative safety.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods found that The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Shaoyao Gancao Tang (SG-Tang) may be an effective and safe alternative treatment to relieve Restless Leg Syndrome. The methodology used for this study involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy and safety of SG-Tang treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome. Databases such as the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Chinese Biological Medicine Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and VIP Information Database were searched. The primary and secondary outcome measurements looked at were the total effective rate, the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Rating Scale for Severity of Restless Legs Syndrome, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the incidence of adverse events. The results of the study indicated that SG-Tang treatment led to significant improvements compared to conventional medications; it increased the total effective rate and lifted scores on the Severity of Restless Legs Syndrome and Sleep Quality Indices, while also lessening the incidence of adverse events. However, these conclusions should be interpreted with caution due to the limited data and the methodological quality of the included studies.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal PLOS One found that Chinese Herbal Medicines may help with chronic sinusitis and acute rhinosinusitis symptoms with LDXGT and modified CEZS working well, especially for CRS. The review assessed the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) in treating chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). It found that certain CHMs showed potential in improving CRS symptoms and measures related to sinus health, with the best evidence for LDXGT and modified CEZS formulas. However, more blinded randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Combining conventional triple therapy with the Chinese herb formula Xiangsha Liujunzi significantly improves the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-positive peptic ulcer disease. The methodology for this research included a review of fifty-one randomized controlled trials, involving 5172 patients and ten therapeutic strategies, found across eight medical-literature databases. Software such as Review Manager, R Project and STATA16.0 were utilized to conduct a Bayesian network Meta-analysis, with the primary outcome indicator being the eradication rate of H. pylori. Secondary indicators were the clinical effectiveness rate, recurrence rate and adverse reaction reports. Discussion of the results reveals that the supplementing conventional triple therapy with Chinese herbal formulae increased the eradication rate and clinical efficiency, and reduced the recurrence rate of H. pylori more effectively than standalone conventional triple therapy treatments. The combination therapy, specifically with Xiangsha Liujunzi, emerged as the most effective amongst the ten treatments examined, underlining the potential merit of integrating Chinese herbal formulae with conventional treatments when combating H. pylori-positive peptic ulcer disease. No significant safety issues emerged from the combination therapy.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) improved AD symptoms but had no significant impact on patients' quality of life or IgE levels suggesting CHM's potential as an AD treatment with further research. CHM showed benefits in improving AD symptoms, such as itching and skin appearance, compared to placebos. However, it didn't significantly affect patients' quality of life or IgE levels. CHM was safe, with only minor side effects. These findings suggest CHM could be a useful treatment for AD, but more standard guidelines are needed due to variations in herbal ingredients and dosages in different studies.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicinal practices like acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal remedies show therapeutic effects on infertility caused by endometrial factors. The research methodology involved an extensive literature review from databases like PubMed and CNKI. The researchers specifically focused on clinical applications and mechanism explorations of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies regarding infertility attributed to endometrial factors. Special attention was given to the therapeutic impact of Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion on such medical conditions. Other CAM treatments explored include traditional Chinese medicine retention enema, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, photobiomodulation therapy, and dietary intervention. The results discussion reveals that many of the women who were unable to conceive due to endometrial factors and had not found success with conventional treatments like hormone therapy, cell therapy, and more, showed positive results after turning to CAM therapies. In particular, practices like acupuncture, moxibustion, and the use of Chinese herbal medicines showed significant therapeutic effects on infertility caused by such factors. Other practices including traditional Chinese medicine retention enema, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, photobiomodulation therapy, and dietary intervention were also presented as helpful alternative treatments.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience found that Chinese herbal medicine shows promising and safe outcomes in relieving functional dyspepsia symptoms and associated psychological disorders. The methodology for this research involved a comprehensive search across various libraries and databases, such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and various Chinese data sources, seeking randomized controlled trials where functional dyspepsia was treated with Chinese herbal medicine. The aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of this type of treatment for functional dyspepsia. Two researchers independently conducted each stage of the process, from searching the sources, screening the documents, extracting data, and assessing risk biases within the included studies. They used RevMan 5.4 software to do a meta-analysis of the selected research materials. The discussion of their findings showed that treatment with Chinese herbal medicine significantly alleviated the symptoms of functional dyspepsia, compared to both a placebo group and a group treated with traditional prokinetic agents and flupentixol melitracen. Patients treated with Chinese herbal medicine reported higher total effective rates and lower total symptom scores, along with smaller depression and anxiety scores. The symptoms of functional dyspepsia, in this case, were improved more successfully with Chinese herbal medicine than with other treatment types, without any significant adverse reactions.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Phytomedicine found that Chinese Herbal Medicine Prescriptions (CHMPs) have demonstrated to be potentially effective in managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with a comprehensive, holistic approach. In their methodology, the authors reviewed both preclinical and clinical researches to evaluate the effectiveness of CHMPs in treating IBD. They performed screenings of articles that highlighted the use of CHMP as a treatment option for IBD, giving them an insight into the complexity of the disease and the sophistication of CHMP treatments. Subsequently, they conducted an umbrella review of multiple meta-analyses linked to CHMPs to comprehend the efficacy of these herbal prescriptions in a clinical setting; they narrowed down from 1174 records to 12 substantial references for the review. In discussing their results, the authors analyzed a variety of 14 CHMPs that have a historical usage background and discussed their respective mechanisms of action. They delve into the inherent characteristics of the herbs used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the CHMPs. Recognizing the holistic nature being integral to CHMP, the authors discussed how the implementation of omics, studying the gut microbiome, and network pharmacology can enhance the understanding of CHMPs' bioactions in treating IBD.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicine shows evident efficacy in treating coronary heart disease patients with anxiety or depression, notably improving symptoms of angina pectoris. Method: The study was conducted through a systematic approach, wherein literature search was performed based on certain screening studies. Information was extracted by two researchers who independently assessed the quality of the articles. These articles covered numerous studies concerning the active ingredients of Chinese herbal medicine utilized for treating coronary heart disease accompanied by anxiety or depression. The analysis of this data was performed through network pharmacology. Results: According to 32 chosen studies, Chinese herbal medicine was found to be markedly beneficial in treating anxiety or depression in patients who also had coronary heart disease. This was true in comparison to blank control groups, and the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine appeared not to be inferior to that of Western medicine. Chinese herbal medicine also significantly enhanced angina stability. Observations after usage of Chinese herbal medicine demonstrated similar trends in terms of angina frequency and electrocardiogram analysis. From the network pharmacology viewpoint, a set of certain compounds were found to possess the greatest correlation to the pathological targets of coronary heart disease, anxiety, and depression. Anti-damage or apoptosis, anti-inflammation, oxidative stress reduction, and maintaining neurotransmitter homeostasis were believed to be the principal functional mechanisms.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicine has shown effectiveness in treating amenorrhea caused by antipsychotic drugs, with an overall treatment effectiveness rate of 0.91, but the duration of treatment is relatively long, and further research is required to explore its application in this context. The passage presents a meta-analysis of traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating amenorrhea caused by antipsychotic drugs. Chinese herbal medicine was found to be effective, with an overall success rate of 0.91, but the treatment duration was often lengthy, exceeding three months. Commonly used herbal remedies included Danggui, Chuanxiong, Taoren, Honghua, Gancao, Fuling, Baizhu, Xiangfu, Chaihu, Shudihuang, and Baishao. The study suggests that Chinese herbal medicine can be a viable option for managing this condition, but further research is needed to understand its mechanisms and optimize treatment approaches.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that Chinese herbal medicines combined with antithyroid drugs may offer benefits in lowering relapse rates, reducing the incidence of adverse effects, relieving symptoms, improving thyroid antibody status and thyroid function. The results suggest that traditional Chinese herbal medicines added to other routine treatment have a therapeutic potential for people with hyperthyroidism. However, due to methodological limitations, we could not identify a well‐designed trial to provide strong evidence for Chinese traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Thus, we currently cannot recommend any single preparation or formulation for clinical use.

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 Cohort Study published in 2022 in the journal International Journal of Urology found that Chinese herbal medicine can significantly reduce the risks of complications and need for surgery associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The methodology of the retrospective cohort study involved analyzing data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, covering the period between 2001 to 2013. 4142 patients newly diagnosed as having benign prostatic hyperplasia were divided into Chinese herbal medicine users and non-users. To compare these groups, they employed 1:1 propensity score matching, and the risk of complications related to benign prostatic hyperplasia was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazard model. The results showed that during the study period, the risk of complications related to benign prostatic hyperplasia was considerably lower in the Chinese herbal medicine group compared to the non-Chinese herbal medicine group, even when other variables were controlled for. The Chinese herbal medicine users had a significantly lower risk of urinary tract infection and urine retention. Plus, the Chinese herbal medicine users experienced a lower incidence rate of surgery related to benign prostatic hyperplasia and enjoyed a longer surgery-free interval than non-Chinese herbal medicine users. Among the Chinese herbal medicine, Salviae miltiorrhizae and Ji-Sheng-Shen-Qi-Wan were prescribed the most by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

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 Pharmacology found that Xiao Yao San can improve symptoms and reduce recurrence rates in patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction. The paper's methodology involved a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found in seven databases, up until November 22, 2021. The trials, which totaled 48 all together, were included to determine the efficacy of Xiao-Yao-San in treating disorders of gut-brain interaction (previously known as functional gastrointestinal disorders). A range of measures, including therapeutic efficacy, symptom score, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale score, Self-Rating Depression Scale score, and the recurrence rate, were analysed using both random-effects and fixed-effects models, as well as trial sequential analysis. In terms of results, Xiao-Yao-San showed a marked improvement in the effective rate of managing disorders of gut-brain interaction compared to western drugs, both when used alone and in combination with western medicine. The paper also found the treatment notably reduced symptom scores, anxiety scores, and depression scores for patients with the disorder. Further, instances of recurrence were also reduced. Overall, Xiao-Yao-San was well tolerated and no serious adverse events were reported in any of the trials included in this analysis.

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 Cohort Study published in 2021 in the journal Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare found that Adding Chinese herbal medicines to routine treatment was found to be related to lower fracture risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients. This is the largest population-based cohort study based on Taiwan's national health database designed to determine the association between the use of CHMs and the risk of incident fracture in RA patients. Longer duration of incorporating CHMs into routine treatment for RA patients was found to significantly reduce the risk of fracture by 53%. Results of this study may serve as a reference to help healthcare providers when planning and implementing therapeutic interventions that seek to improve the overall health of patients with RA. Further prospective randomized trials are recommended to clarify whether the association revealed in this study supports a causal link.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Translational Pediatrics found that Allergic rhinitis in children, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is interrelated with the functionality of lungs, spleen, and kidney and can be treated with combined Western and Chinese herbal medicines. The methodology of this study was based on a review of both traditional Chinese and Western medical theories and practices. Chinese theory postulates that BiQiu, or allergic rhinitis in children, is primarily related to a congenital deficiency in vital qi, dysfunction of the lungs inhibiting nose orifices, and a deficiency of spleen and kidney leading to lung qi deficiency. The review looked into herbal monomers and compounds of Chinese herbal medicines as potential treatments for allergic rhinitis, while also considering the impact of external factors like the cold and inadequate diet. The review highlighted some of the effects and shortcomings of Chinese herbal medicines used alongside Western medicines for treating allergic rhinitis. Particularly, it focussed on how the unique perceptions of life science of the human body from both Eastern and Western cultures can be brought together for a comprehensive method of treatment. The study also outlined future trends of research to enhance this combined treatment approach.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicines could alleviate chronic kidney disease symptoms by combating fibrosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and encouraging repair and regeneration. The study's methodology consisted of both clinical and experimental approaches. It started with an examination of an array of traditional Chinese herbs. The criteria for considered herbs were their clinical efficacy, frequency of use in treating chronic renal disease, and a well-studied mechanism of action. Five herbs, namely, Tanshinone II A, Salvianolic acid A & B, Triptolide, Tripterygium glycosides and a monomer from Kudzu root, made the cut after having met the set criteria. The results showed that these Chinese herbs were found to possess pharmaceutical properties that were effective against fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Furthermore, these also showed the potential to promote renal repair and regeneration, which are fundamental for treating chronic kidney disease. These findings suggest a broader scope of therapeutic treatments that could benefit the patients in a more natural and potentially less invasive way.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal PLOS One found that Chinese herbal medicine combined with conventional therapy may be effective and safe in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. Twelve eligible RCTs including 1393 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Our meta-analyses found that lung CT parameters and the clinical cure rate of Chinese herbal medicine combined with conventional therapy in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 were better than those of conventional therapy. The rate of conversion to severe cases, TCM symptom score of fever, cough cases, TCM symptom score of cough, TCM symptom score of fatigue, and CRP of combination therapy was significantly lower than that of conventional therapy. The WBC count was significantly higher than that of conventional therapy. Our meta-analysis results were robust through sensitivity analysis.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine presents beneficial effects in controlling disease activity and lowering glucocorticoid dosage in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. An extensive search of seven electronic databases was conducted for all randomized controlled trials focusing on Chinese herbal medicine treating systemic lupus erythematosus. These trials could consist of Chinese herbal medicine used either independently or as an adjunct to conventional treatments, and trials up until August 16, 2020, were considered. Data was gathered with a particular focus on measurement outcomes such as the lupus disease activity index, traditional chinese medicine symptom scores, glucocorticoids dosage, main serological testing, and the occurrence of adverse events. The collected data was pooled and analyzed using Review Manager 5.3 software. The compiled data was resulted from thirteen randomized controlled trials with a total of 856 participants. The analyzed data revealed that compared to placebos, Chinese herbal medicine showed significant indications of reducing the lupus disease activity index and traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores. It also underscored a lowered dosage of glucocorticoids, decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and increased levels of serum complement C4. No significant differences were noticed between Chinese herbal medicine and placebos when considering adverse events.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that The autophagic-regulatory effects of Chinese herbal medicine are potentially therapeutic for allergic inflammatory diseases such as asthma. Chinese herbal medicine is one of the main lines of complementary and alternative therapy of bronchial asthma, as it is the third most popular choice of both adults and children suffering from this condition. An increasing number of CHMs have been discovered as autophagy modulators. Such autophagic-regulatory effects are potentially therapeutic for allergic inflammatory diseases such as asthma. Although we have found that many autophagy modulators isolated from anti-asthmatic-CHMs were possibly related to new mechanisms and functions of these plants in the treatment of asthma diseases, we are still far away from translating these traditional herbs or formula into clinical applications in asthma therapy.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that The addition of CHM to clomiphene may improve pregnancy rates. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for subfertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). They conducted a comprehensive search across databases and trials registries, ultimately including eight randomized controlled trials with 609 participants. The trials compared various interventions, such as CHM versus clomiphene, CHM plus clomiphene versus clomiphene alone, CHM plus other treatments versus those treatments alone. The evidence quality was generally very low, and the primary outcome of live birth rate was not reported. While some comparisons suggested potential benefits, such as the addition of CHM to clomiphene leading to higher pregnancy rates, the overall uncertainty and lack of consistent evidence hindered conclusive findings. The study underscores the need for well-designed trials focusing on live birth rates and safety indicators in assessing the use of CHM for subfertile women with PCOS.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Journal of Clinical Images and Medical Case Reports found that Long Dan Xie Gan Decoction combined with valacyclovir appears to enhance the treatment of herpes zoster, improving pain intensity, and crust formation time. For this systematic review, a comprehensive search was conducted in bibliographic databases - PubMed, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan-fang Database until the 6th of April, 2021. The main focus was on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) that looked at herpes zoster treatments involving the combined use of Longdanxiegan Decoction (LDXGD) and valacyclovir. The quality of these studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and a meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.1 software. The analysis incorporated five studies with a total of 414 participants. The methodological quality of these studies ranged from low to moderate. The combined use of LDXGD and valacyclovir showed relative benefits in efficacy rates compared to the use of valacyclovir alone. This was reflected in the lower pain intensity noted by a visual analogue scale, decreased incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and shorter time frame to crust formation. However, the safety profile for the combined treatment of LDXGD and valacyclovir remains unclear.

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 Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture, moxibustion and Chinese herbal medicines are the most commonly used complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of female infertility. Currently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), as a new treatment for infertility, is gradually challenging the dominant position of traditional therapies in the treatment of infertility. CAM claims that it can adjust and harmonize the state of the female body from a holistic approach to achieve a better therapeutic effect and has been increasingly used by infertile women.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicines may improve treatment for those with chronic kidney disease, due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, autophagy-mediated, and antifibrotic effects. The methodology of the research entailed a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed English-language journals that focus on the potential benefits of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) in treating kidney disease. The primary factors investigated were the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, autophagy-mediated, and antifibrotic properties of CHMs that are commonly used in managing kidney disease. The review also incorporated newly published clinical trials and meta-analyses within this field. The results of the review found that CHMs have multiple beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, autophagy-mediated, and antifibrotic properties. This, backed by well-structured randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, highlighted that the incorporation of CHMs as an auxiliary with conventional medicines could assist patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. The results, however, noted the limitations on the development of CHMs, like unknown active ingredients, inferior quality, and limited sample sizes of some clinical trials, and questions on CHMs' safety.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine seems to be as effective as flunarizine in reducing the frequency of migraines in adults. The study involved a comprehensive search across nine databases, looking for randomized controlled trials focusing on the application of Chinese herbal medicine in treating episodic migraines as compared to flunarizine. After filtering out non-relevant trials, thirty-five studies with a total of 2,840 participants were chosen, and 31 of them were further assessed in meta-analyses. The treatment's effectiveness was evaluated at both the end of the treatment period and the end of the follow-up period. The study discovered that Chinese herbal medicine was effective in reducing the frequency of migraines at the end treatment and the end of follow-up. This was regardless of the duration of treatment or follow-up, and the dosage of flunarizine taken. Sub-analyses divided based on these parameters showed the Chinese herbal medicine was comparable, if not superior, to flunarizine. Similarly positive results were observed in terms of secondary goals like pain scale, migraine duration, response rate, and usage of acute medication. The studies using specific Chinese herb pairs were particularly promising.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that In a meta-analysis of 14 trials with 1030 women, acupoint stimulation and Chinese Herbal Medicine were effective in improving menstrual cycles, perimenopausal symptoms, and sex hormone levels in comparison to Hormone Replacement Therapy. In a meta-analysis involving 14 trials with 1030 women experiencing Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), acupoint stimulation and Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) were found to offer benefits in normalizing menstrual cycles and improving perimenopausal symptoms, compared to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). These treatments also effectively lowered follicle stimulating hormone levels and increased estradiol levels when compared to HRT. However, there were no significant differences in luteinizing hormone levels or adverse effects between the groups. The conclusion of the study is that acupoint stimulation and CHM can be considered complementary therapies for alleviating menstrual disorders, perimenopausal symptoms, and serum sex hormone levels in POI females.

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 Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that The use of Chinese herbal formula granules appears to improve kidney function in stage 3 chronic kidney disease patients. In a prospective randomized controlled study involving 343 participants with stage 3 chronic kidney disease from 9 hospitals in Jiangsu Province, individuals were randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group. Over a 24-week period, participants in the treatment group orally consumed Chinese herbal formula granules twice daily, while the control group received placebo granules. The treatments did not cause any significant difference in the levels of 24-hour proteinuria between both groups. However, patients in the treatment group demonstrated significant improvements in their kidney function compared to the control group. This was evidenced by the significantly lower levels of serum creatinine and significantly higher eGFR levels. Furthermore, the incidence of adverse events between the two groups remained similar, suggesting the treatment posed no added risk to the participants.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that Zuo Gui Wan combined with anti-osteoporosis drugs may have beneficial effects on osteoporosis with respect to bone mineral density and bone metabolism markers. Our pooled results show that ZGP combined with anti-osteoporosis drugs may have beneficial effects on osteoporosis with respect to BMD and bone metabolism markers. There were no ADRs when using ZGP alone, but ADRs of ZGP combined with anti-osteoporosis drugs included gastrointestinal discomfort (nausea, diarrhoea), dizziness, and fatigue. However, a definite conclusion regarding other indicators cannot be drawn from the existing information. The results of this review demonstrate that ZGP is a potential candidate for osteoporosis treatment, although the quality of evidence remains weak.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Pharmacological Research found that Chinese herbal formulas could be used as potential candidates for treatment of COVID-19. Our meta-analyses found that comparing CHM group and conventional western medicine group, CHM group has improvements in several clinical parameters including lung CT, clinical cure rate, ranging from mild to critical cases, length of hospital stay, total score of clinical symptoms, fever reduction time, symptom score of fever, number of cough reduction cases, symptom score of cough, number of fatigue reduction cases, symptom score of fatigue, disappearing time of fatigue, TCM syndrome, viral nucleic acid testing, and inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein). Besides, no severe adverse effects was identified by CHM. CHM, especially classical Chinese herbal formulas, could be used as potential candidates for COVID-19 in this battle.

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 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 Maturitas found that Siwutang (including its derived formulas) appears to be superior to conventional Western medicine for pain relief and in relation to response rate. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of Siwutang (SWT), a Chinese herbal formula, for treating primary dysmenorrhea. Among 523 initially identified citations, 39 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 38 were used for meta-analysis. Results indicated that SWT demonstrated superiority over conventional western medicine in terms of pain relief and response rate. Notably, SWT and its derivative formulas exhibited higher response rates compared to conventional medicine, with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 48%). SWT was particularly effective in reducing pain intensity when compared to conventional medicine (MD: -2.61, 95% CI: -3.72 to -1.51). Additionally, the safety profile of SWT appeared to be advantageous, with a lower incidence of adverse events than conventional medicine (RR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.07−0.38). However, the quality of the included trials was generally low, with methodological limitations including inadequate reporting of randomization and blinding procedures. As a result, the level of evidence was deemed low due to the high risk of bias. The authors concluded that while SWT demonstrated promise for treating primary dysmenorrhea, further well-designed clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessary to establish its effectiveness and safety more conclusively. Notably, the lack of standardized outcome measures and the inconsistent reporting of response rates across studies highlighted the need for the development and implementation of a core outcome set for primary dysmenorrhea research.

A Clinical Study published in 2020 in the journal Journal of the Chinese Medical Association found that Chinese herbal medicine might improve lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. In the conducted single-arm pilot study, twenty patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were instructed to take the investigated Chinese herbal medicine three times a day for 8 weeks, coupled with their ongoing Western medicine treatment. Scheduled follow-ups were completed, with patients completing questionnaires such as the international prostate symptoms scores, aging male symptoms score, and international index of erectile function, along with a questionnaire of traditional Chinese medicine body constitution. Diagnostic tools like uroflowmetry and sonography were utilized to measure changes in urine flow velocity and post-voiding residual urine volume over the study span. The results of the study showed a significant decrease in the total prostate symptoms scores post 8 weeks of Chinese herbal medicine treatment, indicating an improvement in the patients' condition. Additionally, this study found a decrease in specific subscores measuring voiding and incomplete emptying. Further to this, a declining trend was also observed in post-voiding residual urine volume, suggesting positive impacts of Chinese herbal medicine on the patients' urinary symptoms.

A Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Compared with conventional Western medicine alone, Chinese herbal medicine plus antihypertensive drugs might be effective in reducing blood pressure levels and improving vascular endothelial function in patients with hypertension. In clinical practice, antihypertensive Western medicines have a clear curative effect, but all of them have certain side effects. They cannot be completely eliminated from clinical use, and it is impossible to avoid situations where some patients may not be willing to take Western drugs and may not fully meet the needs of clinical treatment for hypertension. Thus, in Asian countries, some hypertensive patients have turned to TCM treatment with fewer adverse effects (Xiong et al., 2013). To comprehensively evaluate the function of the vascular endothelium, we included many blood indicators to ensure that the results are comprehensive. The evaluation of the vascular endothelial function has not been included as one of the important factors affecting the cardiovascular prognosis of patients in the latest hypertension treatment guidelines. Moreover, there are no drugs specifically for vascular endothelial injury. The analysis in this study may provide some evidence for further improvement of the treatment guidelines. After quantitative synthesis, our review is the first to demonstrate that CPAD can lower BP and improve vascular endothelial function in patients with hypertension, suggesting that TCM as an adjuvant therapy could be used for hypertension treatment by alleviating symptoms and improving well-being.

A Cohort Study published in 2020 in the journal Medicina found that Adding Chinese herbal medicines to conventional therapy could decrease subsequent stroke risk for atrial fibrillation patients. From a nationwide database, 11,456 AF patients aged ≧ 20 years between 1998 and 2007 were identified. Afterwards, we enrolled 2670 CHMs users and randomly selected 2670 non-CHMs users using the propensity score method. The occurrence of stroke was recorded until the end of 2012. Within the follow-up period, 671 CHMs users and 900 non-CHMs users developed stroke, with incidence rates of 33.02 and 45.46 per 1000 person-years, respectively. CHMs use was associated with a 30% lower stroke risk, especially for those receiving CHMs for over two years.

A Experimental Study published in 2020 in the journal Journal of Separation Science found that Suan-Zao-Ren decoction positively impacts insomnia by improving the metabolic phenotype and affecting key metabolic pathways. Firstly, a non-targeted metabolomics approach based on high-resolution mass spectrometry was combined with multiple statistical methods to study alterations in potential brain and serum biomarkers and metabolic pathways in rats with modelled insomnia. This process revealed that treatment with the Suan-Zao-Ren decoction promoted significant improvements in the metabolic phenotypes of insomnia. Fruther analysis, conducted using discriminative analysis in correlation with principal component analysis, termed principal component analysis-discriminate analysis, served to accentuate these effects. Subsequent heatmap (graphical representation of data) analysis helped identify primary biomarkers associated with insomnia. The results disclosed important alterations in several metabolic pathways linked with insomnia, such as phenylalanine and tryptophan metabolism, among others. This provided a comprehensive understanding of how Suan-Zao-Ren decoction regulates the metabolic phenotype of rats with insomnia, reinforcing the potential of metabolomics as a tool for examining the curative effects and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines.

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 Systematic Review published in 2020 in the journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that Current evidence suggests that Chinese herbal medicine is an effective and safe treatment for spinal cord injury and could be treated as a complementary and alternative option with few side effects. A total of 26 studies involving 1961 participants were included in this study. No serious heterogeneity or publication bias was observed across each study. The results showed that significant improvements of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)-grading improvement rate, clinical effective rate, ASIA motor score, ASIA sensory score (total), ASIA sensory score (light touch) ASIA sensory score (pinprick) and activities of daily living (ADL) score in CHM group compared with the control group. Among the CHM groups, Buyang Huanwu decoction was the most frequently prescribed herbal formula, while Astragalus membranaceus was the most commonly used single herb. In addition, there were no serious and permanent adverse effects in the two groups. The methodological quality of the most included RCTs was poor and the quality of evidence for the main outcomes was from very low to moderate according to the GRADE system. Current evidence suggests that CHM is an effective and safe treatment for SCI and could be treated as a complementary and alternative option with few side effects. However, considering the low quality, small size, and high risk of the studies identified in this meta-analysis, higher methodological quality, rigorously designed RCTs with large sample sizes are needed to confirm the results.

A Cohort Study published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese Medicine when combined with Western methods, could improve survival rates in patients with colorectal cancer. The study undertook a retrospective analysis of patients, newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer during 2004-2014, who were treated at Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital. With the help of the hospital's cancer registry database and medical records, patients were categorized into two groups: those who used Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) and those who did not. Survival rates between these groups were investigated with Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. The research findings indicated a noticeable difference between the survival rates of the CHM users and the non-users. Furthermore, four specific CHM formulae - Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Zhi Bah Di Huang Wan, Ping Wei San and Qui Pi Tang - were noted as significantly associated with enhanced survival. Therefore, it seems that integrating Chinese Herbal Medicine with Western treatment protocols could enhance survival in patients afflicted with colorectal cancer.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Jiawei Suanzaoren Decoction combined with lorazepam significantly improves sleep quality for chronic insomnia patients, offering a superior solution than using lorazepam alone. Over the course of this study, 207 participants were split into two groups, namely, the treatment group and control group. The treatment group received a combination of Jiawei Suanzaoren Decoction and lorazepam orally, while the control group only received lorazepam. Several factors were evaluated at multiple stages including the Insomnia Severity Index, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Somatic Self-rating Scale, and the MOS 36-item Short Form Health Survey. In addition, adverse effects were evaluated by the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale. Both the treatment and control groups showed significant improvements in their sleep onset latency and total sleep time. However, the Insomnia Severity Index reduction rate in the treatment group, which took both Jiawei Suanzaoren Decoction and lorazepam, was higher than that in the control group, who only took lorazepam. The study concluded that the combination of Jiawei Suanzaoren Decoction with lorazepam can significantly improve sleep quality with fewer adverse effects, demonstrating that it's an effective treatment that's superior to lorazepam alone for chronic insomnia.

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 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 Systematic Review published in 2019 in the journal BMJ Open found that Chinese herbal medicine may be effective and safe for treating diabetic kidney disease, although evidence quality varies. The systematic review and meta-analysis comprised randomized controlled trials comparing the use of oral Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) to a placebo, involving a comprehensive search strategy and selecting from over 7000 articles, resulting in 20 studies with a total of 2719 participants. Potential bias was minimized by only including studies that pitted CHM against a placebo. In addition, an a priori subgroups analysis was conducted to identify potential candidate formulae and frequently used herbs for further exploration. Despite these measures, the overall evidence ranged from moderate to very low quality due to unclear randomization procedures, substantial variations in outcome measures, and reduced external validity. The latter was affected by factors such as multi-ingredient herbal formulae, brief follow-up periods, limited numbers of clinical events, and the inclusion of older patients with less advanced disease.

A Systematic Review published in 2019 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Chinese herbal medicine in conjunction with conventional western medicine proved effective in improving symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients. The researchers carried out an extensive search of six databases up until September 2018 to gather relevant literature on the subject. The selection and extraction of data were in accordance with predetermined criteria. Two tools - A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), were used to assess the methodological quality of the systematic reviews and the evidence quality of the primary outcomes respectively. The results of the study indicated that, in comparison with conventional western medicine alone, Chinese herbal Medicine (CHM) when used in conjunction with western medicine had a significant effect in improving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease patients. However, when used solely, CHM had no substantial impact. The adverse events were documented in nine out of eleven systematic reviews. In comparison with conventional western medicine, the CHM had generally fewer or milder side effects. But the researchers urged caution while considering the evidence due to certain flaws in the methodology.

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 Review Article published in 2018 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Shu Di Huang, traditionally used in Chinese medicine, may effectively treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by rectifying neurodevelopmental abnormalities, neuronal apoptosis, and energy metabolism failures. Rehmanniae radix preparata, a scrophulariaceae plant that has been used for millennia for nourishing kidney-yin, essence and filling marrow in traditional Chinese medicine, has been discovered to have antioxidant, antisenescence, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Particularly telling is the active component, Catalpol, evidently helps elevate brain-derived neurotrophic factor and curbs neuronal apoptosis and energy metabolism failure. The results visualized with this study rest on an analysis of Rehmanniae radix preparata's effects on both mice and rats, wherein it inhibited spontaneous activity, improved learning and memory subsequent to thalamic arcuate nucleus injury, and revealed antidepressant effects. This leads us to the conclusion that the properties of Rehmanniae radix preparata align with the areas of dysfunction seen in ADHD, which exhibits hyperactivity-impulsivity and impairments in learning and memory, issues tied fundamentally to anomalies in the cortex mediated by dysfunction in neuronal development, apoptosis, and energy metabolism.

A Experimental Study published in 2018 in the journal Journal of Chromatography B found that Polysaccharide from Suanzaoren decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, may inhibit immunodeficiency-induced insomnia by regulating specific metabolic pathways. The study first created detailed physical and chemical models of immunodeficiency insomnia to reflect the complex, multi-target nature of the condition. The serum samples from these models were then subjected to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry to identify and quantify endogenous metabolites. Post this, principal component analysis was implemented to differentiate the groups, and partial least squares discriminate analysis was conducted to ascertain the crucial variables. The effects of total polysaccharide administration on the serum metabolic profiling were then scrutinized. The results showed 21 potential biomarkers linked to vitamin, sphingolipid, bile acid, phospholipid, and acylcarnitine metabolisms had their levels inverted to different extents in the polysaccharide treated groups. Having established the association of these biomarkers primarily with the mentioned metabolisms, the investigation concluded that total polysaccharide could counter insomnia instigated by immunodeficiency through controlling these metabolic pathways.

A Animal Study published in 2018 in the journal Drug Design, Development and Therapy found that The herbal formula B210 can alleviate snoring in aged rats by modifying the activities and breathing time of relevant nerves. In this study, aged rats were treated intraperitoneally with the herbal formula B210, a compound of specific herbal components, or a placebo (sham treatment). The effects of the treatment on snoring quality were analysed by comparing pressure and frequency of snoring, activities of the phrenic nerve, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and the hypoglossal nerve, as well as inspiratory time and expiratory time of the phrenic nerve, and pre-inspiratory time of the hypoglossal nerve. The results of the study showed that the rats that received the B210 treatment exhibited a marked decrease in snoring pressure and frequency, compared to those that received the sham treatment. Furthermore, there was a notable increase in the activities of the upper airway related nerves - the phrenic nerve, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and the hypoglossal nerve - observable in the aged rats that received the B210 treatment, demonstrating an extension in the inspiratory and expiratory times of the phrenic nerve, and a prolongation of the pre-inspiratory time of the hypoglossal nerve. These findings point to the possibility of B210's role in alleviating snoring through modulating the activities and breathing times of the nerves related to the upper airway in aged rats.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Journal of Advanced Nursing found that Skin-patches of Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine seemed to be more effective than Western medicine alone to reduce the pain scores of patients with acute gouty arthritis. Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria. After synthesizing the data, the results showed that skin-patches of CHM combined with Western medicine seemed to be more effective than Western medicine alone for pain relief in patients with acute gouty arthritis and had fewer adverse events. Due to the quality of the data, larger and more rigorously designed clinical trials with proper outcome measures are necessary.

A Experimental Study published in 2018 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that The Chinese herbal formula Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen can enhance the immune system, treat anemia, and regulate erythropoietin and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression. In the study, the Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen (JPYS) herbal extracts were applied onto cultured cells for 24 to 48 hours. Total RNA was collected from these treated cells for real-time quantitative PCR analysis. Additionally, the standardized herbal extracts were treated with transfected HEK293T cells which were composed of a hypoxia response element tagged with a luciferase gene. In one experiment, the treatment of JPYS extracts onto the cultured cells induced erythropoietin expression in a dose-dependent manner, showing a prominent increase. In another experiment, after the application of JPYS extract for 24 hours, the expressions of interleukin and tumor necrosis factor in cultured macrophages were stimulated. However, when the macrophages were pre-treated with the JPYS extract, the expression of the same cytokines was suppressed in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages. So, apart from supporting the hematopoietic function by regulating erythropoietin expression, this study demonstrated that the Chinese herbal formula, Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen, also plays a crucial role in immune-modulation, specifically in regulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in culture.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that Chinese herbal medicine as adjuvant therapy exerted an additive anti-vascular dementia benefit on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Meta-analysis showed that Chinese herbal medicine (CMH) for vascular dementia could improve Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Activities of Daily Living, Hasegawa’s dementia scale, and clinical effective rate but had statistically similar effect based on Blessed Behavior Scale (BBS) outcome when compared with WCTs. When compared with placebo, CHMs were more beneficial in improving MMSE but showed no significant difference in BBS scores. CHM as adjuvant therapy exerted an additive anti-vascular dementia benefit on MMSE scores. The participants of CHM group had fewer adverse events than that of the placebo group or WCT group. The findings of the present study support, at least to an extent, that CHM can be recommended for routine use for treatment of vascular dementia.

A Experimental Study published in 2018 in the journal Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that Sansoninto, a traditional medicine, can potentially improve social interaction and attention behavior problems induced by social isolation in mice. Methods involved the usage of social isolation mice as a representation of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. The mice were isolated for the length of the experimental period, starting from when they were four weeks old. Two weeks into the social isolation, administration of Sansoninto commenced at two different doses to assess its impact. The study then observed the impact of the drug on sociability and attention behavior concerns as well as fear memory response. In the discussion of the results, it was found that Sansoninto ameliorated the negative behavioral effects caused by social isolation in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating a potential to tackle psychiatric issues like ADHD. Likewise, a high dose of Sansoninto was able to restore the downregulation of Egr-1, a gene responsible for neural function, which conventional induced stress from social isolation had previously under-regulated.

A Systematic Review published in 2018 in the journal Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research found that Chinese herbal medicine tends to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from allergic rhinitis. The researchers examined randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to understand the effect of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on allergic rhinitis (AR). They conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, and Springer databases till March 2017, specifically looking for trials that compared CHM's effectiveness to a placebo in treating AR. They evaluated total nasal symptoms and quality of life, also performing sensitivity and subgroup analyses to further explore the source of heterogeneity in the trial results. The study included eleven RCTs in the meta-analysis, which revealed significant heterogeneity among them. This means that the data from these individual studies varied a lot, prompting the researchers to use a random effects model to consolidate the data. While CHM did not make a notable difference in alleviating symptoms like an itchy nose, sneezing, or total nasal symptoms, it did result in a noticeable improvement in the overall quality of life of the AR patients.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that Yu Ping Feng San, a Chinese herbal medicine, combined with pharmacotherapy could be effective for treating allergic rhinitis in adults. The paper evaluates Chinese herbal medicine, YPFS, for treating allergic rhinitis in adults by conducting a meta-analysis and subgroup meta-analyses of several randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Seven databases were searched from their inceptions to September 2017 where RCTs evaluating YPFS for adult allergic rhinitis were included. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of these studies and meta-analysis and subgroup meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of YPFS. Based on the results, YPFS when used in combination with pharmacotherapy seemed to be more effective than using pharmacotherapy alone for treating allergic rhinitis. The paper highlighted an alleviation of four individual nasal symptom scores post YPFS combination treatment; these being itchy nose, sneezing, blocked nose, and runny nose. Furthermore, it was found that the YPFS combination treatment was more beneficial when it was used for more than three weeks. The paper also mentions that YPFS was safe and well-tolerated for treating adult allergic rhinitis. However, it did not seem to be superior to the second-generation antihistamine.

A Experimental Study published in 2017 in the journal Journal of Natural Medicines found that The extract of sansoninto, a Japanese traditional formulation, shows potential as a new treatment for depression-like behavior through stimulating brain cell growth. The research used in vitro screening methods with cultured Neuro2a cells to examine the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and promote neurite outgrowth. Five formulations of Kampo (Japanese traditional medicine) were tested, with the extract of sansoninto demonstrating the strongest effects. To determine if this effect could translate to living organisms, the study administrated sansoninto orally to mice models exhibiting behavioral impairments. The results showed that the sansoninto extract exerted anti-depression-like effects in the forced swim test. The research suggests this effect could be attributed to up-regulated expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus. The results also indicate the potential mechanism might involve the enhanced phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding protein via the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II cascade, which is a downstream signaling cascade of a certain receptor. The former is associated with the regulation of cellular responses, while the latter has been linked with synaptic plasticity in the brain.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that There is a significant effect of Chinese herbal medicine for improving Expanded Disability Status Score, annual relapse frequency and the total clinical efficacy rate for multiple sclerosis compared with western conventional treatment. A total of 1,100 participants were included in the 20 studies from 2004 to 2015. The number of risk of bias which met the criteria varied from 5/12 to 7/12. The top 5 most frequently used herbs are ordinally Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, and Bombyx Batryticatus. In analysis of annual relapse rate and annual relapse interval, there was a significant difference between CHMs and western conventional treatment. Adverse effects were monitored in 6 studies, and were well tolerated in all MS patients. The available evidence from present study supported but limited to recommend the routine use of CHM adjuvant therapy for MS because of the poor methodological quality and clinical heterogeneity. However, we identified an area that is worthy of further study.

A Systematic Review published in 2017 in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging found that The Chinese herbal formula Erxian decoction appears to be more effective than basic supplements in treating osteoporosis. A systematic review of six databases was conducted, looking for randomized controlled trials using Erxian decoction in osteoporosis treatment. The trials measured a variety of outcomes, including fracture incidents, changes in bone mineral density, improvements in pain symptoms, alterations in bone biochemical markers, quality of life, and adverse reactions. The timeline encompassed all trials conducted up until September 17, 2016, with no restriction on language. The results from the eight trials involving a total of 644 patients were analysed. Two separate meta-analyses were conducted. The first compared the effectiveness of the decoction to caltrate tablets in improving bone density in the spine and femoral great trochanter. The second meta-analysis evaluated the decoction plus caltrate tablets and calcitriol in improving the bone density of the femoral neck, and the levels of calcium and phosphorus, when compared to calcitriol and caltrate tablets. The most common side effect was minor cases of gastrointestinal symptoms.

A Systematic Review published in 2016 in the journal PLOS One found that The combination of traditional Chinese medicine and endocrine therapy may be more effective in slowing prostate cancer progression and increasing patients' survival time. The team of researchers carried out a comprehensive literature search across various databases until August 2015 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (CHM), or its combination with conventional medicine, in treating prostate cancer. Only reports on CHM versus no treatment or on CHM as an adjunctive treatment were considered. The main outcomes evaluated were patients' survival times, time to disease progression, and quality of life, using the Cochrane Handbook's risk of bias assessment to evaluate the quality of the methodologies used in the trials. From the total of 17 RCTs involving 1,224 participants, a single trial compared CHM to no treatment, whereas the other 16 assessed CHMs as an additional treatment to endocrine therapy. However, due to the poor quality of most of the methodologies used in the trials, only limited evidence was available. This evidence suggested that the combination of CHM and endocrine therapy might be more successful in slowing the progression of the disease and improving patients' performance statuses when compared to endocrine therapy alone. Importantly, no severe adverse events related to CHM were reported.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal Sleep Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine was superior to placebo and benzodiazepine drugs and was superior to benzodiazepines and psychotherapy alone as an adjunct therapy in terms of subjective sleep quality and quantity and safety. In this study, we systematically reviewed 79 RCTs investigating a variety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) treatments for participants with insomnia. We also performed meta-analyses to estimate the efficacy of CHM on subjective sleep quality assessed by validated instruments, patient-rated sleep parameters, clinician-reported severity, and PSG results, as well as to determine the safety of CHM. Overall, this systematic review and meta-analysis showed that CHM was superior to placebo and benzodiazepine drugs (BZDs) when used as a monotherapy and was superior to BZDs and psychotherapy alone as an adjunct therapy in terms of subjective sleep quality and quantity and safety. CHM was not associated with more benefit than non-BZDs, although the risks were less. These results suggest that CHM could be a promising alternative therapy with a good benefit–risk ratio.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that Chinese herbal medicine may provide an effective treatment during the acute phase of UTI and when given prophylactically to prevent recurrence in the six months following treatment. We found limited evidence from seven RCTs about the possible role of Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for recurrent UTI, either as the sole intervention or as an adjunct to antibiotic treatment for post‐menopausal women. CHM may provide an effective treatment during the acute phase of UTI and when given prophylactically to prevent recurrence in the six months following treatment. However, the small number and poor quality of the included studies meant that it was not possible to formulate robust conclusions on the use of CHM for recurrent UTI in women, when administered alone or as an adjunct to antibiotics.

A Systematic Review published in 2015 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that Our review suggests that management of female infertility with Chinese herbal medicine can improve pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 3-6 month period compared with Western medical fertility drug therapy. Forty RCTs involving 4247 women with infertility were included in our systematic review. Meta-analysis suggested a 1.74 higher probability of achieving a pregnancy with CHM therapy than with WM therapy alone in women with infertility. Trials included women with PCOS, endometriosis, anovulation, fallopian tube blockage, or unexplained infertility. Mean pregnancy rates in the CHM group were 60% compared with 33% in the WM group. In addition, fertility indicators such as ovulation rates, cervical mucus score, biphasic basal body temperature, and appropriate thickness of the endometrial lining were positively influenced by CHM therapy, indicating an ameliorating physiological effect conducive for a viable pregnancy.

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 Systematic Review published in 2014 in the journal Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine combined with western medicine used to treat subacute thyroiditis may improve clinical symptoms and signs, reduce relapse rate, and alleviate the side effects of hormones. Twenty one studies were included. CHM was superior to Western Medicine (include prednisone and NSAIDs) in abating fever, relieving thyroid pain, recovering blood sedimentation, improving thyroid function, and preventing hypothyroidism (P<0.05), while no statistical differences were found in eliminating goiter and reducing relapse rate. CHM plus Western Medicine were superior to Western Medicine in abating fever, relieving thyroid pain, eliminating goiter, and reducing relapse rate, while no statistical differences (P>0.05) were found in recovering blood sedimentation and improving thyroid function. The incidence of adverse reactions in treatment group was lower than that in control group (relative risk was 0.12 and 95% confidence interval was 0.03-0.51). The methodological quality of trials is generally poor with a high risk of bias.

A Systematic Review published in 2014 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that Guizhi Fuling formula shows potential in treating uterine fibroids. This comprehensive review analyzed 21 trials (including three meta-analyses and eight individual trials) regarding the effectiveness of Guizhi Fuling Formula combined with mifepristone in treating uterine fibroids. The results indicated potential benefits in reducing fibroid volume and uterine size compared to mifepristone alone. However, the overall methodological quality of the included trials was deemed poor, with issues such as unclear randomization procedures and lack of blinding. Further high-quality clinical trials with larger sample sizes are recommended to provide more conclusive evidence on the efficacy of this treatment approach for uterine fibroids.

A Systematic Review published in 2013 in the journal Asian Journal of Andrology found that Chinese herbal medicine appears to be more effective than Western medication in improving quality of life and reducing prostate volume in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients. The method utilized in this research involved the systematic review of randomized controlled trials from diverse electronic databases. These trials were focused on comparing Chinese herbal medicine, in standalone or supplementary use with Western medication, against placebo or solely Western medication. All trials reviewed pertained to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Outcomes measured included changes in patients' urological symptoms, urodynamic measures, prostate volume and the occurrence of adverse events. The analysis revealed that Chinese herbal medicine was superior to Western medicines in terms of improving patients' quality of life as well as reducing the size of the prostate. Furthermore, the occurrence and frequency of adverse events in patients treated with Chinese herbal medicines were found to be similar to those observed in placebo groups and lesser compared to groups treated with Western medication. However, due to the limited number of trials and their methodological quality, the evidence supporting the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine remains weak.

A Systematic Review published in 2013 in the journal Clinical Rheumatology found that Chinese herbal medicine may help in functional recovery in gout patients, while safely controlling serum uric acid level and inflammation severity. This systematic review evaluated a total of 57 randomized clinical trials on Chinese herbal medicine for gout up to December 2012, involving 4,527 patients. The methodology employed the Cochrane risk of bias tool to assess the quality of these trials and used RevMan 5.2 software to synthesize results. However, the overall quality of these trials was generally poor and none reported on health-related quality of life in patients. Through the trials evaluated, it was found that Chinese herbal medicine may not be significantly more effective than conventional medicines in terms of pain relief. However, when combined with conventional medicines, herbal medicine may exhibit better effectiveness. In trials that reported relief from function limitations, herbal remedies showed improved efficacy over standard treatments. However, there was no evidence to suggest that herbal medicine could prevent recurrence of gout. In closing, the review noted that 25 trials out of 41 found significance in lowering serum uric acid levels through the use of Chinese herbal medicine. Further, herbal medicine seemed more effective in inflammation relief when compared to conventional therapies. Importantly, data suggested the herbal treatments resulted in fewer side reactions as compared to conventional treatment methods.

A Systematic Review published in 2012 in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews found that Chinese herbal medicine for insomnia had similar efficacy to Western medication and placebos, with fewer adverse events. The methodology involved conducting a systematic review of both Chinese and English literature related to randomized controlled trials. This focused on exploring the efficacy, safety, and composition of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) treatment for insomnia. The selection process was stringent, requiring papers to meet a high quality standard, as measured using the Jadad score. The compositional analysis identified the most commonly used CHM formula and single herb in treating insomnia. The result of the analysis indicated that the effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine on treating insomnia were comparable to those of Western medicines and placebos. While there were adverse events linked with CHM, their frequency was found to be similar to that of placebos but lower than Western medicines. The most commonly utilised standardized formula in the trials was Gui Pi Tang, and the most frequently used single herb was Suan Zao Ren, also known as Ziziphus jujuba.

A Review Article published in 2012 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine as an adjunct therapy can potentially alleviate symptoms of Parkinson's Disease and is typically well-tolerated by patients. The research team carried out a comprehensive literature review spanning from 1950 to April 2011, identifying randomized trials focusing on Chinese herbal medicine as an add-on treatment in comparison with western conventional treatments for Parkinson's Disease. They scrutinized the change in scores from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and observed any side effects. Following the careful analysis of 19 trials that involved over 1300 participants, it was found that the addition of Chinese herbal medicine to standard treatments offered more significant improvements in Parkinson's Disease scores. Notably, adverse effects were reported less frequently and were also milder in the group that received the adjunctive Chinese herbal medicine treatment as compared to the group that underwent conventional treatment only.

A Systematic Review published in 2011 in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that Acupuncture shows potential for reducing dysmenorrhoea scores in endometriosis patients. Endometriosis is a prevalent gynaecological condition that significantly affects women's lives, often leading to chronic pelvic pain and dysmenorrhoea. However, the current management of pain in endometriosis is inadequate. Acupuncture has been studied in gynaecological disorders, but its effectiveness for pain in endometriosis remains uncertain. Researchers conducted a systematic review to determine the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for pain in endometriosis. Out of twenty-four identified studies on acupuncture for endometriosis, only one trial met the inclusion criteria. The study showed that acupuncture, particularly auricular acupuncture, may reduce dysmenorrhoea scores and be more effective than Chinese herbal medicine. However, due to the limited evidence from only one study, more well-designed, double-blinded, randomized controlled trials comparing various types of acupuncture with conventional therapies are needed to draw stronger conclusions about acupuncture's efficacy in managing pain in endometriosis.

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