1.
Can Chinese Herbal Medicine Adjunctive Therapy Improve Outcomes of Senile Vascular Dementia? Systematic Review with Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials.
Zeng, L, Zou, Y, Kong, L, Wang, N, Wang, Q, Wang, L, Cao, Y, Wang, K, Chen, Y, Mi, S, et al
Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2015;(12):1843-57
Abstract
Many publications have reported the growing application of complementary and alternative medicine, particularly the use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in combination with routine pharmacotherapy (RP) for senile vascular dementia (SVD), but its efficacy remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of CHM adjunctive therapy (CHMAT), which is CHM combined with RP, in the treatment of SVD. Publications in seven electronic databases were searched extensively, and 27 trials with a total of 1961 patients were included for analysis. Compared with RP alone, CHMAT significantly increased the effective rate [odds ratio (OR) 2.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.30, 3.86]. In addition, CHMAT showed benefits in detailed subgroups of the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score from time of onset to 4 weeks (WMD 3.01, 95% CI 2.15, 3.87), 8 weeks (weighted mean difference (WMD) 2.30, 95% CI 1.28, 3.32), 12 weeks (WMD 2.93, 95% CI 2.17, 3.69), and 24 weeks (WMD 3.25, 95% CI 2.61, 3.88), and in the activity of daily living scale score from time of onset to 4 weeks (WMD -4.64, 95% CI -6.12, -3.17), 8 weeks (WMD -4.30, 95% CI -6.04, -2.56), 12 weeks (WMD -3.89, 95% CI -4.68, -3.09), and 24 weeks (WMD -4.04, 95% CI -6.51, -1.57). Moreover, CHMAT had positive effects on changes in the Hasegawa dementia scale, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Clinical Dementia Rating, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores, as well as blood fat levels (total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein E), platelet aggregation rate (1-min platelet aggregation rate, 5-min platelet aggregation rate, and maximal platelet aggregation rate), and blood rheology (whole-blood viscosity and hematocrit). No serious or frequently occurring adverse effects were reported. Weaknesses of methodological quality in most trials were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, while the quality level of Grades of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence classification indicated 'very low'. This systematic review suggests that CHM as an adjunctive therapy can improve cognitive impairment and enhance immediate response and quality of life in SVD patients. However, because of limitations of methodological quality in the included studies, further research of rigorous design is needed.
2.
[Clinical study on treatment of advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer by guben xiaoliu capsule].
Wang, XM, Xin, H, Yang, Z, Zhao, W, Yang, G, Liu, J, Tang, W, Zhang, Q, Han, D, Yu, R
Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine. 2004;(11):986-8
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To observe the therapeutic effect of Guben Xiaoliu Capsule (GXC) in treating advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS One hundred and ninety-eight NSCLC in-patients were divided into the integrative treated group [Group A, 54 patients treated with chemotherapy (CT) plus GXC], the TCM treated group (Group B, 96 patients treated with GXC alone) and the chemotherapeutic group (Group C, 48 patients treated with CT alone). Randomized controlled observation was applied to the Group A and C. The clinical effect, quality of life (QOL), adverse reaction and survival period in the three groups were observed. RESULTS The immediate effective rate (CR + PR) in the Group A, B and C was 16.7%, 3.1% and 8.3%, respectively, in the Group A, it was better than that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The improvement of clinical symptoms and QOL in the Group A and B were superior to those in the Group C (P < 0.05). The median survival rate in the three groups was 12, 15 and 9 months, respectively, the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rate in Group A being 57.4%, 11.1% and 3.7%, respectively, in Group B, 67.7%, 9.4% and 3.1%, and in (Group C, 39.6%, 4.2% and 0, respectively, comparison between the three groups showed that the survival rates in the former two were higher than those in Group C (P < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence rate and degree of CT toxicity were milder in Group A than those in Group C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION GXC has definite effect in treating NSCLC, it could raise the QOL, prolong the survival period of patients, also reduce the toxicity and enhance the efficacy of CT.