Adjunctive herbal medicine treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Han, Chang-ho; Kim, Mikyung; Cho, Seung-Yeon; Jung, Woo-Sang; Moon, Sang-Kwan; Park, Jung-Mi; Ko, Chang-Nam; Cho, Ki-Ho; Kwon, Seungwon
• Is Part Of: Complementary therapies in clinical practice. Volume 33(2018)
• Page Start: 124
• Page End: 137
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Acute ischemic stroke -- Herbal medicine -- Systematic review -- Meta-analysis -- Buyang Huanwu decoction -- Huanlian Jiedu decoction; Integrative medicine -- Periodicals; Integrative medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.09.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-3881

Abstract

Abstract: Background and purpose: In the East-Asian countries, the combined treatment of Western medicine and herbal medicine has been widely administered. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, and CNKI up to January 2017. Randomized Controlled Trials evaluating the effect of adjunctive herbal medicine on acute ischemic stroke were included. Results: A total of 80 studies (8057 patients) were collected. The overall methodological quality was low. In the herbal group, meta-analysis indicated a statistically significant improvement in the neurologic deficits and activity of daily living compared with the non-herbal group. Furthermore, herbal treatments were relatively safe. Conclusion: The treatment can induce neurological improvements without side effects. However, concrete conclusions cannot be made due to the methodological problems of the included studies. Highlights: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine based on the published studies. Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of adjunctive herbal treatments on acute ischemic stroke were included. In the herbal group, meta-analysis indicated statistically significant improvements compared with the non-herbal group. Adverse events were observed in 22 studies, and herbal treatments were relatively safe. However, concrete conclusions cannot be made due to the methodological problems of the included studies.