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Background. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) are the major contributors to mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. This updated meta-analysis was aimed to assess the effects of mother's milk on the incidence of NEC, LOS, and other clinical outcomes in preterm infants. Methods. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library were searched for papers published up to October 2022. Results. A total of 13 RCTs with 1330 infants were included in the final analysis. Significant difference in NEC (stage 2 or 3) was found between the intervention group and the control group (RR = 0.508, 95% CI: 0.314–0.822, and P = 0.008). The incidence of proven LOS (RR = 0.809, 95% CI: 0.610–1.071, and P = 0.139) and death (RR = 0.800, 95% CI: 0.571–1.122, and P = 0.196) was comparable between the two groups. Statistical differences in the incidence of proven or probable LOS (RR = 0.705, 95% CI: 0.577–0.862, and P = 0.001) and length of hospitalization (WMD = −4.868, 95% CI: −6.608 to −3.128, and P < 0.001) between the intervention group and the control group were observed. Conclusions. The results of this updated meta-analysis showed that compared to the placebo, mother's milk provides better effects in reducing the incidences of NEC, proven or probable LOS, and the length of stay, whereas no significant benefit of mother's milk was observed in reducing the incidence of proven LOS and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The purpose of this study was a comprehensive review of studies on the effect of aromatherapy with plant essential oils on the improvement of some conditions, for example, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, fatigue, and pain in people with cardiovascular disease. Materials and Methods. We carried out this systematic review based on the instructions of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Ethical agreement was not necessary as main data have not been collected. During March 2022, we searched the main English databases, for example, Google Scholar, Web of Sciences, EMBASE, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and PubMed/MEDLINE, with limitation to human clinical trials. For this study, no time limit was applied for the publication of articles. Results. Out of 1380 papers, 52 papers up to March 2022 were eligible for review in this systematic review. Based on the obtained results, the most widely used medicinal plants for aromatherapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases were Lavandula angustifolia (lavender, 55.7%), Rosa damascena (Damask rose, 11.5%), and Mentha piperita (peppermint, 5.8%), respectively. Most studies have been performed on the effect of aromatherapy on coronary angiography (21 papers, 40.4%), followed by artery bypass graft surgery (14 studies, 26.9%), and cardiac patients (5 studies, 9.6%). Most studies on the effect of aromatherapy in cardiovascular diseases were performed on anxiety (31 papers, 59.6%), sleep quality (8 studies, 15.4%), and hemodynamic parameters (6 studies, 11.5%), respectively. Conclusion. This study systematically reviewed the effects of aromatherapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The review of studies showed that lavender, Damask rose, and peppermint are the most frequents plants used for aromatherapy, whereas they significantly improved some illnesses and conditions, especially anxiety and sleep quality. Therefore, it can be concluded that cardiologist can used aromatherapy as a natural complementary and alternative therapy particularly with lavender, Damask rose, and peppermint to improve quality of life and some conditions such as anxiety and sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of the present study is to investigate the rules and characteristics of the clinical administration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) using data mining methods. Method. Medical cases of well-known contemporary TCM doctors treating PCOS were collected from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System, Wanfang, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, and PubMed; the data were then characterized, and a standardized database of medical cases was built. This database was used to (1) count the frequency of syndrome types and the herbs used in medical cases by data mining methods and (2) analyze drug association rules and systematic clustering methods. Results. A total of 330 papers were included, involving 382 patients and a total of 1,427 consultations. The most common syndrome type was kidney deficiency; sputum stasis was the core pathological product and causative factor. A total of 364 herbs were used. Among them, 22 herbs were used >300 times, including Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Tusizi (Semen Cuscutae), Fuling (Poria), Xiangfu (Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome), and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma). Additionally, 22 binomial associations were obtained from the analysis of association rules; five clustering formulae were obtained via the analysis of high-frequency drug clusters; and 27 core combinations were obtained by k-means clustering of formula. Conclusion. In the treatment of PCOS, TCM is primarily employed as a combination approach involving tonifying the kidneys, strengthening the spleen, eliminating damp and dissolving phlegm, activating blood circulation, and resolving blood stasis. The core prescription is primarily a compound intervention based on the Cangfu Daotan pill, Liuwei Dihuang pill, and Taohong Siwu decoction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Evidence-based research methods were applied to assess the efficacy of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for the treatment of autism in children. Methods. We searched the Chinese Biomedical Literature, CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases to collect randomised controlled trials on faecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of autism in children. The search included studies published from the creation of the respective database to 5 April 2022. Literature screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation were implemented by three investigators according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.1 software. Results. Nine studies with population-based subjects and four studies with animal-based subjects were included. Five papers were screened for the meta-analysis. The results showed that FMT markedly reduced Autism Behaviour Checklist (ABC) scores in children with autism spectrum disorder (weighted mean difference (WMD) = −14.96; 95% confidence intervals (CI), −21.68 to −8.24; P < 0.001 ; I2 = 0%). FMT also reduced Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores (WMD = −6.95; 95% CI, −8.76 to −5.14; P < 0.001 ; I2 = 28.1%). Conclusion. Our results indicate that FMT can benefit children with autism by reducing ABC and CARS scores, but more high-quality studies are needed to verify these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During endodontic treatment, eliminating microorganisms from the root canals should be considered with utmost importance. Before filling the canal, every effort should be made to ensure optimal shaping and adequate disinfection of the root canal system. This systematic review aimed to compare the efficacy of herbal agents with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in reducing the microbial load while used as a root canal irrigant. The research question in the present study was to assess "Is there a significant difference in reducing microbial load comparing sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and herbal agents." Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched from their start dates to November 2020 using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria and reviewed following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Only in vitro studies comparing herbal agents with NaOCl regarding antimicrobial efficiency were included. Two reviewers independently assessed the included article. 825 articles were obtained from an electronic database. Twenty papers were included for review of the full text. Eleven papers were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Finally, nine articles were included in the systematic review. The present systematic review was at the in vitro level; therefore, the result cannot translate the exact clinical conditions. This systematic review concludes that herbal agents cannot be used as a main irrigant for canal disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In the present study, we systematically evaluated the effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in rodent models (rats and mice) to provide potential evidence for the treatment of AGA by TCM. Methods. Previous research papers focusing on the treatment of AGA by TCM were retrieved from various electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, Vip, Wanfang data, and CBM) up to October 30, 2021. Screening of the literature was performed independently, and data were extracted and assessed. A meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. When compared with the model groups, a group of C57BL/6 mice treated with TCM showed an increase in the total number of hair follicles (mean difference [MD] = 11.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] [5.94,18.03], P = 0.0001), as well as a decrease in serum testosterone (T) level (MD = −1.10, 95% CI [−1.43, −0.78], P < 0.00001), skin discoloration time (MD = −2.93, 95% CI [−4.03, −1.84], P < 0.00001), and skin hair growth time (MD = −3.16, 95% CI [−4.16, −2.16], P < 0.00001). Terminal hair/vellus hair also increased in TCM-treated AGA animals (MD = 3.02, 95% CI [2.05, 3.98], P < 0.00001). No significant difference was found in serum estradiol (E2) level, skin tissue E2 level, or skin tissue T level between the TCM-treated group and the model group. Conclusion. TCM can increase the total number of hair follicles and terminal hair/vellus hair ratio, and reduce skin discoloration time and skin hair growth time in AGA animal models. These effects may be related to the reduction of the serum T level in AGA animals. These conclusions need to be verified by high-quality studies as the current analysis may be affected by the number and quality of the studies identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by a persistent rise in the blood glucose level resulting from defects in cellular insulin function, secretion, or both, which affects millions of people every year. Several drawbacks have been stated with the use of marketed antidiabetic medicines such as drug resistance, adverse effects, toxicities, and even costs. Due to these several limitations, searching for novel antidiabetic medicines from medicinal plants (MPs) is becoming an active area of research. Therefore, MPs are exemplary sources of medicines with many accessible agents being obtained from them because numerous active constituents are isolated from them for direct use as pharmacological medicines or act as lead compounds. This paper was aimed to synthesize a concluding remark using in vitro and in vivo evaluations of extracts and fractions for antidiabetic potentials in Ethiopia, which can be used to direct future clinical trials and related investigations. Method. So as to get data on the different investigations, publications related to experimental evaluations on animal diabetic models in Ethiopia were searched from databases, such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus using English key terms. Results. In this paper, about 37 research findings based on data from various areas of Ethiopia published until the end of November 2020 were included. A total of 37 MP species extracts and fractions belonging to 19 families have been revealed in vitro or in vivo for potential antidiabetic activities. Crude extracts were carried out mostly by hydromethanolic whereas fractions were done mostly by chloroform. Leaves were the most commonly experimentally investigated plant part. Among the MP species experimentally studied, the most frequently used to treat DM in Ethiopia were Thymus schimperi Ronniger (Lamiaceae), Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.; Moringaceae), Ajuga remota Benth (Lamiaceae), and Datura stramonium Linn. (Solanaceae). Conclusion. This paper gives aggregate evidences on the potential antidiabetic activities of MPs in Ethiopia. Antidiabetic MPs used in Ethiopia represent crucial input for the future development of novel antidiabetic drugs. To this end, more pharmacological and toxicological investigations need to be considered to prove the safety of constituents obtained from these MPs. Finally, we recommend upcoming research to ensure future success in the clinical study and development of novel medicines for DM treatment from these frequently evaluated MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This paper aims to systematically evaluate the intervention effect of mind-body exercise on cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. Methods. Databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and SINOMED were retrieved to collect randomized controlled trials on the effects of mind-body exercise on relieving cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. The retrieval period started from the founding date of each database to January 6, 2021. Cochrane bias risk assessment tools were used to evaluate the methodological quality assessment of the included literature, and RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analyses. Results. 17 pieces of researches in 16 papers were included with a total of 1133 patients. Compared with the control group, mind-body exercise can improve cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. The combined effect size SMD = 0.59, 95% CI was [0.27, 0.92], p < 0.00001. Doing Tai Chi for over 40 minutes each time with an exercise cycle of ≤6 weeks can improve cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients more significantly. Sensitivity analysis shows that the combined effect results of the meta-analysis were relatively stable. Conclusion. Mind-body exercise can effectively improve cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides tablet (TGt) is an oral preparation extracted from plant Tripterygium wilfordii. It has the effects of anti-inflammation and inhibition of cellular and humoral immunity. However, many reports of adverse reactions caused by TGt have limited its application. In this paper, the clinical efficacy and safety of TGt in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) were verified by data mining and analysis, so as to provide theoretical data support for the application and development of TGt. Methods. A computer search of the following databases was conducted: PubMed, Web of Science, CBM, VIP, Wanfang Data, and CNKI. The search time limit is from the establishment of the database to September 2020. We searched for clinical randomized controlled trials of TGt in the treatment of CKD. The main types of CKD involved are nephrotic syndrome (NS), primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS), refractory nephrotic syndrome (RNS), and IgA nephropathy (IgAN). RevMan 5.2 and Stata 12.0 software were used to evaluate the literature quality and analyze the data. Finally, GRADEpro software was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 75 articles with a total of 6418 subjects were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that TGt could reduce 24-hour urinary protein, increase serum albumin, improve clinical efficacy, and reduce disease recurrence rate in patients (P < 0.05) with CKD compared with adrenocortical hormones or immunosuppressants. TGt could significantly reduce the level of serum creatinine (Scr) in patients with CKD (P < 0.05), but it was not significant in reducing the level of blood urea nitrogen (P > 0.05). In terms of safety evaluation, in patients with CKD, it could significantly reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions and neurogenic dizziness and headache (P < 0.05). However, in terms of adverse reactions such as liver injury, respiratory infection, and leukopenia, TGt was as harmful as corticosteroids or immunosuppressants (P < 0.05). The quality of the evidence was evaluated with GRADEpro software, and the results showed that TGt was strongly recommended for the treatment of CKD. Conclusion. TGt has certain efficacy in the treatment of CKD and has fewer side effects in certain types of diseases. The effect of TGt combined with other drugs is better than that of single use. This paper also has some limitations. Due to the limited number of the included studies, with all being from China, there may be methodological differences. Therefore, more high-quality literature data from different countries are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Aging is an inevitable stage of body development. At the same time, aging is a major cause of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. Chinese herbal medicine is a natural substance that can effectively delay aging and is expected to be developed as antiaging drugs in the future. Aim of the review. This paper reviews the antiaging effects of 23 traditional Chinese herbal medicines or their active components. Materials and methods. We reviewed the literature published in the last five years on Chinese herbal medicines or their active ingredients and their antiaging role obtained through the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results. A total of 2485 papers were found, and 212 papers were screened after removing the duplicates and reading the titles. Twenty-three studies met the requirements of this review and were included. Among these studies, 13 articles used Caenorhabditis elegans as the animal model, and 10 articles used other animal models or cell lines. Conclusion. Chinese herbal medicines or their active components play an antiaging role by regulating genes related to aging through a variety of signaling pathways. Chinese herbal medicines are expected to be developed as antiaging drugs or used in the medical cosmetology industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine decoction (TCMD) in the treatment of cardiac neurosis (CN) complicated with depression and anxiety. Methods. Relevant literature on TCMD in the treatment of CN complicated with depression and anxiety was retrieved from Chinese and English databases, and the retrieved literature was included and excluded. The quality of the retrieved literature was evaluated according to the Cochrane system, and the meta-analysis was undertaken with RevMan5.3 software. Results. A total of 10 papers were included, including 686 patients and 349 patients in the treatment group (131 males and 218 females), and there were 337 cases in the control group (131 males and 206 females). The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group, TCMD could significantly improve palpitation (MD = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.55–1.01, P < 0.00001), chest tightness/chest pain (MD = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.10–0.97, P < 0.05), shortness of breath (MD = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.26–0.93, P = 0.0005), and TCM syndrome score (MD = 5.91, 95% CI = 4.32–7.49, P < 0.00001), reduce resting heart rate (MD = 13.21, 95% CI = 9.01–17.40, P < 0.00001), and could reduce psychological scale scores, such as Zung's self-rating Depression Scale (MD = 7.90, 95% CI = 4.98–10.83, P < 0.00001), Zung's self-rating Anxiety Scale (MD = 6.55, 95% CI = 4.25–8.86, P < 0.00001), Hamilton Depression Scale (MD = 4.46, 95% CI = 3.00–5.92, P < 0.00001), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (MD = 3.35, 95% CI = 1.85–4.85, P < 0.0001). The differences were statistically significant. Tonic drugs were commonly used; Angelica sinensis, Poria cocos, Polygala tenuifolia, Wild jujube kernel, and Bupleurum were the most frequently used traditional Chinese medicines. Conclusion. TCMD mainly composed of tonic and tranquilizing herbs could significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients with CN and reduce heart rate, anxiety, and depression scores. However, the evidence grade of the clinical research was limited by the quality of the included literature, and more high-quality clinical trials are still needed for further verification. This trial was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42022312164 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Due to the limited treatment options in antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in children, more effective treatments should be explored. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history in China, which has produced a pretty effect in clinical practice. Many randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have explored the effect of traditional Chinese medicine on treating AAD in children. However, there has been no systematic review or meta-analysis on the impact of TCM on AAD in children. The aim of this study was to systematically review RCTs on the effect of TCM in children with AAD. Methods. RCTs in the past ten years on TCM for AAD in children were included. We searched Electronic databases as much as possible. This paper was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022301034). Results. 26 studies were included in this systematic review. 25 studies reported the effects of TCM interventions on the total effective rate (RR = 1.20, CI 1.16 to 1.24; p < 0.001). 7 studies reported the effects of TCM interventions on the time to change the shape of feces (MD = −1.37, CI −1.67 to −1.07; p < 0.001). 17 studies reported the effects of TCM interventions (MD = −1.43, CI −1.71 to −1.15; p < 0.001). The pooled results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4 : CD8, time for bowel sounds to return to normal, hs-CRP, and IgM. There was a significant difference between the two groups in frequency of diarrhea on the third day after TCM intervention, vomiting improvement time, diamine oxidase, IL-8, TNF, IgA, IgG, and average hospital stay. Conclusions. TCM interventions combined with conventional therapy can improve the therapeutic effect of AAD in children. However, future studies are still needed for the low methodological quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a highly prevalent disease associated with poor quality of life. In this paper, we appraised the role of acupuncture in the treatment of CRS. Methods. Electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) that examined the role of acupuncture in CRS. The primary outcome measures included posttreatment CRS severity, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Total Effective Rate (TER). The risk of bias and quality of evidence were evaluated according to the Cochrane Collaboration's risk-of-bias tool and GRADE tool, respectively. Results. Evidence from the RCTs (n = 10) suggested that acupuncture as a monotherapy or adjunctive therapy to conventional treatment was associated with significant improvements in VAS, TER, and quality of life when compared with conventional treatments for CRS. However, there was a similar incidence of adverse events. The risk of bias was unclear and the quality of evidence for each finding was generally moderate to low. Conclusions. Acupuncture as a stand-alone or adjunctive treatment for CRS was associated with clinical symptom improvement and better quality of life, without any risk for serious adverse events. However, the high clinical heterogeneity of the included RCTs and overall moderate-to-low quality of evidence necessitates rigorous, well-designed trials to confirm these findings. Trial Registrations. This trial is registered with PROSPERO (no. CRD42021292135). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a common disease with a complex etiology in the world, is an important risk factor for severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, treatments of T2DM are mainly based on Western medicine, whose severe side effects make traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy more appealing to patients and clinicians. The overall clinical evidence for different TCM therapies in the treatment of T2DM is still unclear. This study aimed to adopt the evidence-mapping method and integrate the evidence from various researches on this topic, to depict the whole picture of TCM therapies for T2DM. This review included searches of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and three major Chinese literature databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) from inception to November 18, 2021. Two independent reviewers screened the literature, extracted information, and evaluated the quality of all included studies. A systematic review was subsequently performed. In total, 47 studies were reviewed, of which 46 studies (97.9%) were from China and 1 (2.1%) was from Canada. The evidence map was conducted according to different TCM therapies, including herbs or herbal extracts, compounds, powders, decoctions, pills, external treatment, basic theories and treatment principles of TCM, proprietary Chinese medicines, and unspecified TCM integrated therapies. According to the AMSTAR-2 scoring results, 4 papers were rated as high quality, 11 were low quality, and 32 were very low quality. Outcome indicators mainly focused on FBG, HbA1c, 2-h PBG, TC, TG, LDL-C, etc. The results showed that different types of TCM treatment had different improvement effects on the outcome indicators of T2DM. More consistent benefits were observed in the improvement of FBG, HbA1c, and 2-h PBG with treatment regimens based on basic theories and treatment principles of TCM, decoctions and pills, and unspecified TCM integrated therapies. Among herbs, ginger and Coptis root showed more improvement in all outcomes. Compounds, powders, and external treatment showed relatively consistent beneficial effects on the improvement of FBG. No serious adverse events were reported. Overall, the current evidence map provided an intuitive overview of the beneficial effects of TCM therapies in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This study can be used as a reference for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in T2DM, but due to the low-quality level of the included studies, it should be treated with caution in clinical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review is aimed at assessing and compiling the different ethnomedicinal studies in different parts of Ethiopia used to treat respiratory diseases. The data were collected from different published research papers through searching the web sources such as PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and other related websites. The important search terminologies included ethnobotany, respiratory diseases, medicinal plants, and Ethiopia. For this, a total of 65 articles of recent publications (from 2000 to May 2021 years) that provided full information about the use of medicinal plant species to treat respiratory disorder diseases in Ethiopia were consulted. Based on this, a total of 96 medicinal plants belonging to 57 families were reviewed. The commonly recorded families used to manage respiratory problems were Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, and Fabaceae. Herbs and shrubs were the dominant plant growth forms. Due to the easiest form of their preparation for treating respiratory disorders, leaves are the most cited plant parts followed by roots. Crushing and pounding are useful methods of remedy preparation to treat respiratory diseases. This review concluded that different medicinal plants have a significant contribution in combating serious respiratory problems in Ethiopia. Hence, the complied review of medicinal plants on the treatment of respiratory problems would play a great role in further pharmacological and phytochemical investigations in developing new drugs used for the treatment of respiratory problems and in the conservation of these important medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) began several thousand years ago, and the knowledge of practitioners is recorded in paper and electronic versions of case notes, manuscripts, and books in multiple languages. Developing a method of information extraction (IE) from these sources to generate a cohesive data set would be a great contribution to the medical field. The goal of this study was to perform a systematic review of the status of IE from TCM sources over the last 10 years. Methods. We conducted a search of four literature databases for articles published from 2010 to 2021 that focused on the use of natural language processing (NLP) methods to extract information from unstructured TCM text data. Two reviewers and one adjudicator contributed to article search, article selection, data extraction, and synthesis processes. Results. We retrieved 1234 records, 49 of which met our inclusion criteria. We used the articles to (i) assess the key tasks of IE in the TCM domain, (ii) summarize the challenges to extracting information from TCM text data, and (iii) identify effective frameworks, models, and key findings of TCM IE through classification. Conclusions. Our analysis showed that IE from TCM text data has improved over the past decade. However, the extraction of TCM text still faces some challenges involving the lack of gold standard corpora, nonstandardized expressions, and multiple types of relations. In the future, IE work should be promoted by extracting more existing entities and relations, constructing gold standard data sets, and exploring IE methods based on a small amount of labeled data. Furthermore, fine-grained and interpretable IE technologies are necessary for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Inflammation is a host defense mechanism in the body after it is infected and damaged. If inflammation is not treated in time, then it may cause a variety of diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. Herbal essential oils are natural extracts that can suppress inflammation effectively and are expected to be used in therapeutic drugs for anti-inflammatory diseases in the future. Aim of the review. We review the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of essential oils derived from 16 herbs. Materials and methods. We searched the literature of the fields of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory herbal essential oil activity published in English within the past five years via databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and The Web of Science). Results. A total of 1932 papers were found by searching, and 132 papers were screened after removing duplicates and reading article titles. Fifteen articles met the requirements to be included in this review. Among those selected, 11 articles reported in vivo research results, and 10 articles showed research results. Conclusion. Essential oils extracted from herbs can reduce inflammation by regulating the release of inflammatory cytokines involved in multiple signalling pathways. Herbal essential oils are expected to be developed as anti-inflammatory drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To compare the treatment efficacy of Kuntai capsule with Climen only in the therapy of premature ovarian failure. Methods. Randomized controlled trials were electronically retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of science, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu database. In addition, some related papers were manually checked. All papers were assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and the effective data were analyzed by Revman 5.3 Software. Results. 11 randomized control trials involving 1068 patients were included. Results of meta-analysis showed that E2 (estrogen), the total therapeutic effective rate of the group of Kuntai capsule, and hormone were higher than hormone only. The LH (luteinizing hormone), FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), and Kupperman score of the group of Kuntai capsule and Climen were lower than Climen only. Conclusion. Available evidence shows that Kuntai capsule with Climen is more effective than Climen in the therapy of premature ovarian failure. Nowadays, the quality of the research studies is low. More large-scaled randomized trials will need to be carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds. Chuanxiong Chatiao san (CXCT) is a famous Chinese classical prescription. It has a favorable effect in treating migraine. It is reported that CXCT combined with Western conventional medicine (WCM) could increase the therapeutic efficacy on migraine. The purpose of this paper is to systematically assess the clinical efficacy, safety, and some indexes of CXCT for migraine. Methods. PubMed, Embase Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, the Cochrane Library, and the CBM were searched from January 2000 to February 2019. We made a detailed record of outcome measurements. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. A total of 3307 patients were included in the 37 articles. Meta-analysis showed that CXCT significantly increased the total efficiency rate (TER), compared with Western medicine treatment (WMC) (P < 0.00001). When CXCT is combined with WMC, the result showed that P < 0.00001. CXCT was significantly reduced the adverse events (AEs) compared with WMC (P < 0.00001). The levels of VAS, number of migraine episodes (NE), and time of headache duration (TD) were significantly reduced (P < 0.00001). Platelet function and blood rheology level were improved via a significantly decrease in 5-HT and β-EP (P < 0.00001). Other indicators such as substance P, CGRP high-cut viscosity, low-cut viscosity, plasma viscosity, and fibrinogen were significantly reduced (P < 0.00001). Conclusion. Our findings provide evidence that CXCT and CXCT combined with WMC have higher efficacy in the treatment of migraine compared with WCM alone. Methodological quality was generally low, so the conclusion of this paper has some limitations and it has to be carefully evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. In this paper, we systematically review the evidence looking at the effect of dance/movement therapy (DMT) and mental health outcomes and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Method. The literature search was done with the databases PubMed (MEDLINE), EBSCO, and Cochrane Central by using the following search words: "dancing/dance/movement therapy," "breast cancer/neoplasms/carcinoma/tumour" or "mammary cancer," "mental health," and "quality of life." Ninety-four articles were found. Only empirical interventional studies (N = 6) were selected for the review: randomised controlled trials (RCT) (n = 5) and non-RCT (n = 1). PRISMA guidelines were used. Results. Data from 6 studies including 385 participants who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, were of an average age of 55.7 years, and had participated in DMT programmes for 3–24 weeks were analysed. In each study, the main outcomes that were measured were quality of life, physical activity, stress, and emotional and social well-being. Different questionnaires were used for the evaluation of outcomes. The mental health of the participants who received DMT intervention improved: they reported a better quality of life and decreased stress, symptoms, and fatigue. Conclusion. We found only six studies for review, and some had a small number of participants. However, our findings indicate that DMT could be successfully used as a complimentary therapy in addition to standard cancer treatment for improving the quality of life and mental health of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. More research is needed to evaluate the complexity of the impact of complimentary therapies. It is possible that DMT could be more effective if used with other therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Existing evidence produces conflicting findings regarding the effect of sesame intake on inflammatory biomarkers; this knowledge gap has yet to be met through systematic review and meta-analysis. This meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the effects of sesame consumption on markers of inflammation in humans. Methods. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched through August 2020 to identify relevant papers for inclusion. Using the random-effects model, data were evaluated as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Cochrane's Q and I-squared (I2) tests were used to identify within-studies heterogeneity. Results. Seven RCTs with 310 participants (157 intervention and 153 control) were included in the meta-analysis. Sesame consumption reduced serum level interleukin-6 (IL-6) (WMD − 0.90; 95% CI (−1.71, −0.09), I2 = 80.4%) compared to the control group. However, sesame intake had no significant effects on C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) compared to the control group. Subgroup analysis identified a reduction in serum CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 concentration among studies with participants who had a higher level of these biomarkers at baseline, those which used sesamin capsules, and those with a bigger sample size, those conducted in Asia, and studies on females. Conclusion. Sesame consumption reduced serum levels of IL-6 but did not affect CRP and TNF-α in humans. Additional trials should be conducted utilizing a larger and longer treatment duration, along with studies using different sesame formulations (capsule, oil, and seed) and conducting on participants with varied health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis is one of the factors threatening human health. It is very important to find drugs for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Tibetan medicine is one of the traditional medical systems in China. It has rich experience in treating various diseases. This paper summarizes the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis through literature review of Tibetan medicine monographs, drug standards, Tibetan medicine, and prescriptions. In the Tibetan medicine system, 170 kinds of Tibetan medicine and 38 kinds of Tibetan prescriptions were found to treat cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Among them, there are 35 modern researches related to the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Their names, families, medicinal parts, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities are introduced in detail. These Tibetan medicines and prescriptions may be a precious gift of ancient Tibetan medicine to the world, and may also become potential drug candidates for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, metabonomics, and/or clinical trials can be used to confirm its medicinal value in the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, identify active compounds, clarify its potential mechanism of action, and clarify its toxicity and side effects. This article provides a new idea and source for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Antiviral activity is a main function of many types of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and they may contribute more in the process of certain viral epidemics. Therefore, based on the effectiveness and economy of TCM, we aimed to determine the situation of health economic studies about antivirals, especially the difference between TCM and non-TCM. Methods. A literature search of three databases was conducted with a time range of January 2000–December 2020, and terms related to health economics and TCM were used as key terms. QHES and CHEERS were used as quality assessment tools. Results. 203 papers were included in our research. After evaluation using QHES and CHEERS, antiviral TCM obtained an overall score of 41.37 ± 4.46/99 in QHES, compared with 48.89 ± 7.25/99 (18.18% higher than TCM) of antiviral non-TCM. Conclusion. With a statistically significant difference, the overall quality of pharmacoeconomic research about antiviral non-Chinese medicine is better than that about antiviral Chinese medicine, which may have resulted from researchers' capacities or the absence of a more suitable standard for pharmacoeconomic research. It tells that the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies about TCM still warrants improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Hyperlipidemia is an underlying process behind cardiovascular disease. Chinese medicine (CM) may be effective in treating hyperlipidemia, but there is a lack of studies with high methodological quality. A major reason for this is heterogeneity in outcome reporting. Therefore, this study explores the degree of outcome reporting variation in CM trials for hyperlipidemia. It then generates a list of potentially important outcomes for developing a core outcome set (COS). Methods. A systematic review of literature focusing on studies of CM for hyperlipidemia was conducted. Outcomes were listed verbatim and grouped into 8 domains. Outcome frequency and definition uniformity were analyzed. Results. 3,702 studies and 452 individual outcomes were identified. These outcomes were reported 27,328 times, of which 1.6% were reported as primary outcomes, and 13.3% were defined. The most frequent outcome was total triglyceride, represented in 86.7% of the studies, followed by total cholesterol (86.0%), total effective rate (75.1%), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (73.2%), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (60.5%). However, 43.6% of outcomes were reported only once. The largest outcome domain was "pathological or pathophysiological outcomes," which included 67.0% of outcomes. Of the "response rate related outcomes" domain, total effective rate was the most frequently reported outcome (n = 2,780), and 95.3% of the studies gave a clear definition. However, these definitions were often contradictory. Only 10 papers reported cardiovascular events, 3 of which referred to them as primary outcomes. Moreover, ten patient-reported outcomes were reported in the retrieved literature 19 times in total. The majority of the outcomes did not report measurement instruments (MIs) (269/453, 59.4%). MIs of the surrogate outcomes were reported more frequently. Conclusion. Outcome reporting in CM trials for hyperlipidemia is inconsistent and ill-defined, creating barriers to data synthesis and comparison. Thus, we propose and are developing a COS for CM trials for hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aims to explore the influences of Tai Chi on the balance function and exercise capacity among stroke patients. Methods. Databases including PubMed, Embase, WOS (Web of Science), the Cochrane Library, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang Data, VIP (VIP database), and CBM (China Biology Medicine disc) were retrieved to gather the figures of randomized controlled trials on the balance function and exercise capacity among stroke patients. Then relevant data were input and analyzed in Review Manager 5.3. Results. Nineteen papers were included and analyzed in this study. According to the combined effect size, the balance function of stroke patients improved significantly: the Berg Balance Function Scale score [MD = 7.67, 95% CI (3.44, 11.90)]; standing and walking test scores [MD = 3.42, 95% CI (4.22, −2.63)]; gravity swing area [MD = 0.79, 95% CI (1.48, 0.10)]; and gravity swing speed [MD = −5.43, 95% CI (−7.79, 3.08)]. In addition, the exercise capacity improved significantly as well: the FMA (Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale) scale score [MD = 4.15, 95% CI (1.68, 6.63)]. There are no significant influences or changes of other related results. Conclusions. Stroke patients are able to improve their balance functions and exercise capacities prominently when they do Tai Chi exercise once or twice a week and ≥5 times/week and >30 ≤ 60 min/time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aims to explore the influences of Tai Chi on the balance function and exercise capacity among stroke patients. Methods. Databases including PubMed, Embase, WOS (Web of Science), the Cochrane Library, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang Data, VIP (VIP database), and CBM (China Biology Medicine disc) were retrieved to gather the figures of randomized controlled trials on the balance function and exercise capacity among stroke patients. Then relevant data were input and analyzed in Review Manager 5.3. Results. Nineteen papers were included and analyzed in this study. According to the combined effect size, the balance function of stroke patients improved significantly: the Berg Balance Function Scale score [MD = 7.67, 95% CI (3.44, 11.90)]; standing and walking test scores [MD = 3.42, 95% CI (4.22, −2.63)]; gravity swing area [MD = 0.79, 95% CI (1.48, 0.10)]; and gravity swing speed [MD = −5.43, 95% CI (−7.79, 3.08)]. In addition, the exercise capacity improved significantly as well: the FMA (Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale) scale score [MD = 4.15, 95% CI (1.68, 6.63)]. There are no significant influences or changes of other related results. Conclusions. Stroke patients are able to improve their balance functions and exercise capacities prominently when they do Tai Chi exercise once or twice a week and ≥5 times/week and >30 ≤ 60 min/time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is recognized as the earliest prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Emerging studies explored the effects of combined physical activity and cognitive training interventions on cognitive ability, psychological well-being, and emotion of older adults with SCD, but the results are now still controversial. Objective. This study systematically evaluated the enhancement effects of the combined physical-cognitive interventions on memory self-efficacy, objective cognitive function, psychological well-being, and emotion of older adults with SCD. Methods. Data sources PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang degree and conference papers database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical (VIP) databases from their inception to 28 February 2020, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library, 2020, Issue 3), and the reference lists of all retrieved articles were searched. Data analysis and bias risk evaluation were conducted in 2020. Two reviewers (SG and YY) independently evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies using the RoB 2 tool. Results. Eleven RCTs involving 1713 participants with SCD (age 68.0 ± 6.1) were included for review and meta-analysis. The interventions in the included studies were physical activity combined with cognitive training. Multiple-modality exercise with mind-motor training, supervised strategy-based memory training sequentially after stationary cycling, Dejian Mind-Body intervention, and physical activity and cognitive stimulation were also practiced. Conclusions. Compared to the active or nonactive control groups, the combined interventions are effective in improving objective cognitive function in SCD which may show the potential value of combined physical-cognitive interventions in improving objective cognitive ability and preventing the conversion of SCD to MCI or AD and no adverse effects. However, owing to the limitations of the included studies, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To perform a systematic evaluation of the efficacy and safety of combined treatment of Shenmai injection and chemotherapy for lung cancer. Methods. A literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) describing the treatment of lung cancer by Shenmai injection and chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone was performed using the PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Value In Paper (VIP), China BioMed, and Wanfang databases. The databases were searched for entries published before September 1, 2019. Results. Thirty-seven RCTs, comprising a total of 2808 cases, were included in the present meta-analysis. Of these, 1428 cases were treated by Shenmai injection plus chemotherapy, and 1380 cases were treated only by chemotherapy. The results of meta-analysis showed that the combined treatment (Shenmai injection plus chemotherapy) increased the short-term efficacy of treatment (relative risk [RR] = 1.183, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.043–1.343, P < 0.01) and improved patients' quality of life (RR = 1.514, 95%CI = 1.211–1.891, P < 0.01) compared with chemotherapy alone. With regard to the adverse effects, the combined treatment markedly reduced the incidence of white blood cell (WBC) reduction (RR = 0.846, 95%CI = 0.760–0.941, P < 0.01), platelet reduction (RR = 0.462, 95% CI = 0.330–0.649, P < 0.01), and hemoglobin reduction (RR = 0.462, 95% CI = 0.330–0.649, P < 0.01) and alleviated drug-induced liver injury (RR = 0.677, 95%CI = 0.463–0.990, P < 0.05). However, it did not offer a significant protective effect (RR = 0.725, 95%CI = 0.358–1.468, P < 0.05). The effect of the combined treatment on the occurrence of vomiting was considerable (RR = 0.889, 95%CI = 0.794–0.996, P < 0.05), and the combined treatment markedly increased the immunity of patients with lung cancer. Conclusion. The combined treatment of Shenmai injection plus chemotherapy enhanced the short-term efficacy of chemotherapy, improved the patient quality of life, alleviated the adverse effects of chemotherapeutics, and increased the patient immunity. These results should be confirmed by large-scale, high-quality RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In recent years, there have been many clinical reports on acupuncture treatment of cough-variant asthma, but no researcher has objectively analysed and evaluated the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment of cough-variant asthma from the perspective of evidence-based medicine. Objective. To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating cough-variant asthma and to provide reference values for clinical decision-making. Methods. The comprehensive computer retrieval Chinese journal full-text database (CNKI), Chinese science and technology periodical database (VIP), ten thousand data knowledge service platform (WanFang Data), PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were used to collect literature for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) of acupuncture treatment of cough-variant asthma, as well as to retrieve papers and add reference retrieval after literature review, in accordance with the standard of literature filtering, data extraction, and quality evaluation. The data were meta-analysed using ReviewManager5.3 software recommended by Cochrane. Results. A total of 11 randomized controlled clinical studies were screened and included, comprising 929 patients. The results of the meta-analysis showed that, compared with the control group, acupuncture intervention on CVA could enhance the total clinical effectiveness rate, reduce the relapse rate of drug withdrawal, relieve symptoms of cough, phlegm, and diaphragmatic congestion, and improve lung function-related indicators and immune inflammation indicators. There were statistically significant differences in all efficacy evaluation criteria. Conclusion. The clinical curative effect of acupuncture treatment for cough-variant asthma is precise and has certain advantages in relieving symptoms and reducing the recurrence rate. However, the low quality of the evaluation in the RCT research literature is a problem, and more high-quality clinical randomized controlled trials are needed to further verify the comprehensive clinical efficacy and safety of this treatment. Registration number: PROSPERO (no. CRD42020155244) (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula (TCMF) study has been recognized widely by medical scientists around the world. However, few researchers have analyzed and summarized the rapid growth of academic articles of TCMF published in English. The primary aim of this work was to assess the outcome of these research outputs in the TCMF field from 2000 to 2016 and to evaluate the situation and tendency. Methods. Research datasets were acquired from the Web of Science database, which includes all academic articles published from 2000 to 2016; articles were tracked by the keywords "Traditional Chinese Medicine", "Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula", and "Chinese herb formula". Moreover, visualization software CiteSpace V was used to analyze and generate visualization knowledge maps. Results. In total, 26,917 articles appeared in the Web of Science database, and only 2,621 publications met requirement based on reading the abstract or full text. The annual publications total, list of journals, research interests, list of medicine names, disease types, and the top 20 cited articles were given in this research paper. In addition, we compared the research of Japan and Korea TCMF, in the appendix. Conclusion. This review demonstrates that increasingly more researchers have interest in the TCMF and TCMF has great significant advantages over other areas of focus. However, these publications were published rarely in top academic journals and most best-quality papers have bias toward medical analysis rather than pharmacology. To make a breakthrough in TCMF field, further investigation is required to place emphasis on the deepening study of the mechanism of related TCMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study aimed to explore the characteristics and principles of acupoints, which were applied for treating tension-type headache (TTH). Methods. Four databases were searched for the literature studies of treating TTH with acupuncture and moxibustion up to September 1, 2020. Titles, journals, authors, key words, interventions, main acupoints, and outcomes of the included literature studies were extracted and inputted into the self-established Data Excavation Platform of Acupoint Specificity for analysis. Results. In total, 128 papers containing 137 prescriptions, 89 meridian acupoints, and 7 extraordinary acupoints of treating TTH with acupuncture and moxibustion were included. The total frequency of acupoints' application was 763 times. Fengchi (GB20), Baihui (GV20), Taiyang (EX-HN5), Hegu (LI4), and Taichong (LR3) were used most frequently. The acupoints in Yang meridians were utilized more than those in Yin meridians (66.1% vs. 17.8%), and the acupoints in the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang were applied most commonly. 59.9% (457/763) of the applied acupoints were on the head, face, and neck, and 31.7% (242/763) were on the four limbs. Additionally, the proportion of specific acupoints' application was 78.2% (597/763). Conclusions. The prescription of Fengchi (GB20), Baihui (GV20), Taiyang (EX-HN5), Hegu (LI4), and Taichong (LR3) might be relatively reasonable in clinical practices of treating TTH with acupuncture, which should be verified in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aims to explore the influences of Tai Chi on the balance function and exercise capacity among stroke patients. Methods. Databases including PubMed, Embase, WOS (Web of Science), the Cochrane Library, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang Data, VIP (VIP database), and CBM (China Biology Medicine disc) were retrieved to gather the figures of randomized controlled trials on the balance function and exercise capacity among stroke patients. Then relevant data were input and analyzed in Review Manager 5.3. Results. Nineteen papers were included and analyzed in this study. According to the combined effect size, the balance function of stroke patients improved significantly: the Berg Balance Function Scale score [MD = 7.67, 95% CI (3.44, 11.90)]; standing and walking test scores [MD = 3.42, 95% CI (4.22, −2.63)]; gravity swing area [MD = 0.79, 95% CI (1.48, 0.10)]; and gravity swing speed [MD = −5.43, 95% CI (−7.79, 3.08)]. In addition, the exercise capacity improved significantly as well: the FMA (Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale) scale score [MD = 4.15, 95% CI (1.68, 6.63)]. There are no significant influences or changes of other related results. Conclusions. Stroke patients are able to improve their balance functions and exercise capacities prominently when they do Tai Chi exercise once or twice a week and ≥5 times/week and >30 ≤ 60 min/time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Phytochemical medicines containing tanshinol and ligustrazine are commonly used in the treatment of stable angina in China, but their clinical effectiveness and risk have not been adequately assessed. In this paper, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Methods. Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of phytochemical medicines containing tanshinol and ligustrazine in the treatment of stable angina were searched in electronic databases. The search date was up to March 31, 2020, and the languages of the RCTs were limited to English and Chinese. Results. A total of 28 studies, including 2518 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. It was shown that the adjunctive therapy of phytochemical medicines containing tanshinol and ligustrazine was better than the conventional therapies in the improvement of stable angina according to the clinical efficacy in symptoms (n = 2518, RR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.20 to 1.29, P < 0.01) and clinical efficacy in electrocardiography (n = 1766, RR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.40, P < 0.01). Conclusion. The meta-analysis supported the use of phytochemical medicines containing tanshinol and ligustrazine in the treatment of stable angina. However, quality of the evidence for this finding was low due to a high risk of bias in the included studies. Therefore, well-designed RCTs are still needed to further evaluate the efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cough variant asthma (CVA) is a unique type of asthma characterized by cough as the only or primary clinical presentation. Inhaled glucocorticoid is the main treatment in clinical practice currently, but its efficacy remains relatively unsatisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicine has certain advantages in the treatment of CVA, and at present, the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicine is Suhuang Zhike Capsule (SZC). The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of SZC in the treatment of CVA using a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of papers published in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature database (CBM), Wanfang Database, and VIP Information (VIP) from January 2018 to June 2019 was conducted. Review Manager 5.3 was used to carry out a meta-analysis of 10 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. In a total of 10 randomized controlled trials, 896 CVA patients were included. The results showed the following: (1) compared with conventional Western medicine, SZC can effectively increase the efficacy rate of CVA (RR 1.25, 95% CI, 1.16–1.35, P < 0.00001) and (2) compared with other traditional Chinese medicines, SZC can effectively increase the efficacy rate of CVA (RR 1.44, 95% CI, 1.01–2.05, P = 0.05), In conclusion, our study builds on existing clinical evidence showing that SZC is safe and effective in treating CVA. However, larger randomized controlled trials are required for further validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modulation of Tai Chi in physiological function and psychological status attracts sustaining attention. This paper collected original articles regarding the effects of Tai Chi practice on modulating primary hypertension from 7 electronic databases (PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Database, and China Science and Technology Journal Database) from their dates of origin to October 1st, 2020. A total of 45 articles were included. The literature analyses have shown that the benefits of Tai Chi practice for blood pressure management have been identified in all of the included 45 studies, and Tai Chi exercise has shown significant efficacy in improving hypertension clinical symptoms and quality of life, compared to the majority of control interventions, though there are also some methodological issues, including small sample sizes, lack of exact randomization methods and quality control criteria, and lack of specific standards used to measure the characteristics of Tai Chi practice. In the future, the inclusion of additional design standards, stricter quality controls, and evaluation measures for the features of Tai Chi practice is required in trials evaluating its effects on hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of Tai Chi on blood pressure (BP) using the meta-analysis. Methods. This paper used 6 e-resource databases, and randomized controlled trials on the role of Tai Chi on blood pressure were retrieved. Besides, the meta-analysis was conducted according to the guidelines of the Moose-recommendations and applied with Review Manager 5.3, and the risk of bias assessment was performed with the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. The inclusion, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were independently finished by two researchers. Results. There are 24 trials meeting the criteria of inclusion and the results were reviewed. The meta-analysis indicates that, compared with no exercise, Tai Chi had the influence of lowering systolic blood pressure (mean difference = −6.07, 95%CI (−8.75, −3.39), P < 0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure (mean difference MD = −3.83, 95%CI (−4.97, −2.69), P < 0.00001). No significant discrepancies in all outcomes between Tai Chi and other aerobic exercises were discovered. Conclusion. Tai Chi can significantly reduce systolic and diastolic pressure than inactivity. However, Tai Chi does not show advantages in reducing blood pressure compared to other aerobic exercises. The trial is registered with CRD42020175306. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. In the discovery of more potent and selective anticancer drugs, the research continually expands and explores new bioactive metabolites coming from different natural sources. Gallnuts are a group of very special natural products formed through parasitic interaction between plants and insects. Though it has been traditionally used as a source of drugs for the treatment of cancerous diseases in traditional and folk medicinal systems through centuries, the anticancer properties of gallnuts are barely systematically reviewed. Objective. To evidence the traditional uses and phytochemicals and pharmacological mechanisms in anticancer aspects of gallnuts, a literature review was performed. Materials and Methods. The systematic review approach consisted of searching web-based scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct. The keywords for searching include gallnut, Galla Chinensis, Rhus chinensis, Rhus potaninii, Rhus punjabensis, nutgall, gall oak, Quercus infectoria, Quercus lusitanica, and galla turcica. Two reviewers extracted papers independently to remove the papers unrelated to the anticancer properties of gallnuts. Patents, abstracts, case reports, and abstracts in symposium and congress were excluded. Results and Conclusion. As a result, 14 articles were eligible to be evaluated. It is primarily evident that gallnuts contain a number of bioactive metabolites, which account for anticancer activities. The phytochemical and pharmacological studies reviewed strongly underpin a fundamental understanding of anticancer properties for gallnuts (Galla Chinensis and Galla Turcica) and support their ongoing clinical uses in China. The further bioactive compounds screening and evaluation, pharmacological investigation, and clinical trials are expected to progress gallnut-based development to finally transform the wild medicinal gallnuts to the valuable authorized anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety are quite common among stroke survivors and have great negative impacts on patients. Objective. To develop a care bundle through reviewing and integrating care strategies for psychological symptoms after stroke and then improve the bundle by Delphi study. Methods. A structured search of the literature was performed to identify studies evaluating interventions for stroke patients with psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Two trained researchers screened papers through the titles, abstracts, and full-texts independently. All studies complying with the eligibility criteria were appraised using quality assessment tools. Related interventions with evaluated evidence levels formed the preliminary bundle. Afterward, the Delphi study was carried out to improve the bundle, and the experts were contacted by e-mail. Ten clinical experts specialized in stroke and psychological rehabilitation were recruited. The reliability of experts was represented by the effective response rate and authority coefficient (Cr). The consensus was deemed to be reached when the mean score for item importance is all equal or above 3.50 and the coefficient of variation (CV) is all equal or below 0.20. The Kendall coefficient W test was adopted to evaluate the consensus on agreement among the experts as well. Data analysis was performed using SPSS V.22.0. Results. Through a systematic evidence summary and two-round Delphi study, the items that were given high scores and got consensus by experts were chosen for the bundle. The iDAME bundle consisted of five interventions eventually: maintaining Interaction, tailored Diet, Acupressure, mindfulness Meditation, and physical Exercise. Conclusion. The development of an evidence-based and consensus-based iDAME bundle which integrated western and traditional Chinese medicine intervention was described. Evidence summary made the bundle become scientific, while the Delphi study made it more maneuverable. Based on these results, the bundle would be potentially implemented in stroke patients for their psychological symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric precancerous lesions (GPLs) are an essential precursor in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer, known to be one of the most common and lethal cancers worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a positive prospect for the prevention and therapy of GPL owing to several advantages including a definite curative effect, fewer side effects compared to other treatments, multiple components, and holistic regulation. Despite these characteristic advantages, the mechanisms of TCM in treating GPL have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge with respect to herbal formulations and the therapeutic mechanisms of TCM active ingredients for GPL. This paper elaborates on the mechanisms of TCM underlying the prevention and treatment of GPL, specifically those that are linked to anti-H. pylori, anti-inflammation, antiproliferation, proapoptotic, antioxidation, antiglycolytic, and antiangiogenesis effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of tanshinone for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of CKD using tanshinone were searched using 4 Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Value In Paper (VIP), Wanfang, and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM)) and 3 English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Excerpta Medica Database (Embase)). The results included data on blood urine nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), 24 h urine protein, microalbuminuria (mALB), β2-macroglobulin (β2-MG), cystatin C (CysC), and safety events. The data were analyzed using Revman 5.3 and Stata 12.0 software. Results. Twenty-one studies were entered into this meta-analysis, which involved 1857 patients including 954 cases from the tanshinone treatment group and 903 cases from the control group. BUN levels in the tanshinone treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control (standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.81 to −0.49, p < 0.01). In addition, subgroup analysis indicated that tanshinone had a significant effect in reducing Scr levels at 14, 21, and 28 days. Scr levels in the tanshinone treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control group (SMD = −1.40, 95% CI: −2.09 to −0.71, p < 0.01); subgroup analysis based on treatment time also yielded the same results. GFR in the tanshinone treatment group was better than that in the control group (SMD = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.59 to 1.07, p < 0.01). In terms of urine protein levels, 24 h urine protein level, mALB, and β2-MG of CKD patients were reduced to some degree compared with controls, and CysC levels in the tanshinone treatment group were also significantly reduced compared with the control group (SMD = −0.24, 95% CI: −0.44 to −0.03, p < 0.05). Safety in the tanshinone treatment group did not differ significantly from that of the control group (risk ratio (RR) = 7.78, 95% CI: 0.99 to 61.05, p > 0.05). Conclusion. This meta-analysis showed that tanshinone could control urine protein level in CKD patients, improve kidney function, and delay the evolution of CKD without significant side effects. However, the results were limited and should be interpreted with caution because of the low quality of the included studies. In the future, more rigorous clinical trials need to be conducted to provide sufficient and accurate evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq, the sole species in the genus Glehnia (Apiaceae), has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fatigue, weakness, stomach-yin deficiency, lung heat, cough, dry throat, and thirst. Recently, G. littoralis has also been incorporated into a wide range of Chinese vegetarian cuisines. Based on the comprehensive information, advances in botany, known uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of G. littoralis, we aim to highlight research gaps and challenges in studying G. littoralis as well as to explore its potential use in plant biotechnology. This may provide more efficient therapeutic agents and health products from G. littoralis. A literature search of SciFinder, ScienceDirect, Scopus, TPL, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science, books, PhD and MSc dissertations, and peer-reviewed papers on G. littoralis research was conducted and comprehensively analyzed. We confirmed that the ethnomedical uses of G. littoralis have been recorded in China, Japan, and Korea for thousands of years. A phytochemical investigation revealed that the primary active compounds were phenylpropanoids, coumarins, lignanoids, and flavonoids, organic acids and derivatives, terpenoids, polyacetylenes, steroids, nitrogen compounds, and others. Our analysis also confirmed that the extracts of G. littoralis possess immunoregulatory, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, neuroprotective, antibacterial, antifungal, and analgesic properties. Although further studies are required, there is strong evidence of the antitumor and immunoregulatory potential of G. littoralis. Also, more studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action of its active compounds (e.g., falcarinol and panaxydiol) before any clinical studies can be carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Available data indicate that diabetes mellitus leads to elevated cost of healthcare. This imposes a huge economic burden on households, societies, and nations. As a result many Ghanaians, especially rural folks, resort to the use of phytomedicine, which is relatively less expensive. This paper aims at obtaining information on plants used in Ghana to treat diabetes mellitus, gather and present evidence-based data available to support their uses and their mechanisms of action, and identify areas for future research. Method. A catalogue of published textbooks, monographs, theses, and peer-reviewed articles of plants used in Ghanaian traditional medicine between 1987 and July 2018 for managing diabetes mellitus was obtained and used. Results. The review identified 76 plant species belonging to 45 families that are used to manage diabetes mellitus. Leaves were the part of the plants frequently used for most preparation (63.8%) and were mostly used as decoctions. Majority of the plants belonged to the Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apocynaceae families. Pharmacological data were available on 23 species that have undergone in vitro studies. Forty species have been studied using in vivo animal models. Only twelve plants and their bioactive compounds were found with data on both preclinical and clinical studies. The records further indicate that medicinal plants showing antidiabetic effects did so via biochemical mechanisms such as restitution of pancreatic β-cell function, improvement in insulin sensitivity by receptors, stimulating rate of insulin secretion, inhibition of liver gluconeogenesis, enhanced glucose absorption, and inhibition of G-6-Pase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase activities. Conclusion. This review contains information on medicinal plants used to manage diabetes mellitus, including their pharmacological properties and mechanisms of action as well as models used to investigate them. It also provides gaps that can form the basis for further investigations and development into useful medications for effective treatment of diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases to human life and there is no radical cure for it. In this paper, we compiled quantities of case history to evaluate the current available evidence of herbal Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, RSM) formulae for the treatment of cancer by means of the high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods. English and Chinese electronic databases were searched from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP database, Wanfang database until September 2018. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated by using the method of Cocharne evidence-based medicine system evaluation, the quality was evaluated by screening the literature that met the requirements, and the Review Manager 5.3 was used for statistical analysis. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% CIs was used to estimate the correlation between Danshen formulae and therapeutic effects. Results. Thirteen RCTs with 1045 participants were identified. The studies investigated the lung cancer (n = 5), leukemia (n = 3), liver cancer (n = 3), breast or colon cancer (n = 1), and gastric cancer (n = 1). A total of 83 traditional Chinese medicines were used in all prescriptions and there were 3 different dosage forms. Meta-analysis suggested that Danshen formulae had a significant effect on RR (response rate) (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.66-3.42), 1-year survival (OR 1.70 95% CI 1.22-2.36), 3-year survival (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.62-4.78), and 5-year survival (OR 8.45, 95% CI 2.53-28.27). Conclusion. The current research results showed that Danshen formulae combined with chemotherapy for cancer treatment was better than conventional drug treatment plan alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease. In order to palliate renal function impairment and reduce kidney related mortality, it is crucial to treating DN patients at the early stage. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of conventional therapy combined with safflower yellow versus conventional therapy alone in early DN patients. Methods. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared safflower yellow plus conventional therapy with conventional therapy alone in early DN patients was conducted. Papers were searched using the electronic databases and reference lists. Two reviewers working independently extracted relevant data and carried out risk-of-bias assessments. Statistical analysis was undertaken in Review Manager 5.3. Results. Fourteen trials (1,072 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. Conventional therapy combined with safflower yellow was associated with a higher effective rate (RD, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.30) and a greater decline in urinary albumin excretion rates (SMD, -1.34; 95% CI, -1.77 to -0.92), fasting blood glucose (MD, -0.57; 95% CI, -0.98 to -0.16), serum creatinine (MD, -12.36; 95% CI, -14.66 to -10.06), and blood urea nitrogen (SMD, -0.93; 95% CI, -1.13 to -0.73) in the subgroup with a follow-up time > 15 days. The incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly between these two regimens (RD, -0.01; 95% CI, -0.03 to 0.01). Findings were similar in the subgroup with a follow-up time < 15 days. Conclusions. Conventional therapy combined with safflower yellow had a more beneficial effect than conventional therapy alone in early DN patients. There were significant differences in effective rate, urinary albumin excretion rates, fasting blood glucose, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen between the two regimens and no significant difference in adverse events. More randomized controlled research using standardized protocols would be needed in the future to compare these two regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the beneficial and adverse effects of breviscapine injection in combination with antihypertensive drugs for treating hypertensive nephropathy in clinical practice. Methods. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Sino Med, VIP, and Wanfang Data for relevant literature. The timeframe of retrieval was set from the founding date of each database to September 28, 2018. Results. Fourteen papers were included in this study. The quality of all the studies included was determined to be low. All studies were conducted with Chinese populations. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with single-use antihypertensive drugs, using breviscapine injection in combination with antihypertensive drugs to treat hypertensive nephropathy can reduce serum creatinine (Scr) [WMD = –35.16, 95% CI(–50.01, –20.31), P ≤ 0.001], blood urea nitrogen (BUN) [WMD = –2.00, 95% CI(–3.07, –0.94), P ≤ 0.001], 24-hour urinary total protein (24 h UTP) [WMD = –0.04, 95% CI(–0.05, –0.02), P ≤ 0.001], and the beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) [WMD = –0.09, 95% CI(–0.11, –0.07), P ≤ 0.001], improve creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) [WMD = 7.84, 95% CI(5.20, 10.49), P ≤ 0.001], and increase the clinical efficacy [RR = 1.27, 95% CI(1.05, 1.53), P = 0.014], but does not lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) [WMD = –1.02, 95% CI(–2.88, 0.84), P = 0.281]. There was no significant difference in adverse events between experimental groups and control groups. Conclusion. Breviscapine injection in combination with antihypertensive drugs can improve clinical efficacy and Ccr and reduce Scr, BUN, 24 h UTP, and B2M in patients with hypertensive nephropathy. The present meta-analysis indicated that breviscapine injection can serve as a renal protective effect to patients with hypertensive nephropathy. However, the evidence of methodological quality and sample sizes is weak, and thus, further standardized research is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI), a serious complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is gaining more acceptance and attention. The learning and memory function of diabetics always decreases. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been demonstrated to be effective in treating the symptoms in China, and thereinto Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) are the most widely used. The objective of the present study was to review and analyze the existing data about reducing the symptoms in CMH treatment for DCI. Methods. Electronic literature databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, SinoMed, and Wan fang) were searched for randomized controlled trials conducted in China, comparing CMH with western medicines in the treatment of DCI, up to April 1, 2018. We applied standard meta-analytic techniques to analyze data from papers that reached acceptable criteria. Result. Nine randomized controlled trials (n = 576) on CMH were included. We found moderate evidence that CMH used alone or in combination with western medicines was more effective than western medicines alone in reliving the symptoms for DCI (total effective rate, odds radio (OR) = 4.64 (2.60, 8.29), and 95% confidence interval, P<0.00001). Besides, CMH along or in combination with western medicines showed more beneficial effects on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale (mean difference (MD) = 1.31(0.75, 1.87), P<0.00001), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale (MD = 2.07 (0.86, 3.28), P<0.00001, and TCM symptom score (TCMSS) (MD = -4.89 (-8.44, -1.34), P = 0.007). Most of the included studies showed that there was not a significant difference in the adverse events. Conclusions. These findings demonstrated that CMH used alone or in combination with western medicines were apparently better than western medicines alone in the treatment of DCI. Because of the poor quality of the studies that were available for the present meta-analysis, further researches are still needed to support these early findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Launaea taraxacifolia (Willd.) Amin ex C. Jeffrey is a herb found mostly in tropical Africa. The plant, commonly found in West Africa, is used in the management of many diseases including cardiovascular, respiratory, haematological, endocrine, and metabolic diseases in Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Serra Leone, and Senegal. This piece provides comprehensive and updated information on the traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological and toxicological information available on Launaea taraxacifolia to support its medicinal uses and also unearth knowledge gaps for future studies. An electronic literature search using search engines, namely, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed, was carried out to obtain information on the plant. Both common and scientific names of the plant were used as keywords for the search process. This paper captured information on Launaea taraxacifolia from 1985 to 2018. The search revealed that the leaves of the plant possess nutritional/pharmacological effects on diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cancer, malaria, bacterial infections, and arthritis. The leaf has been shown to be a rich source of phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, coumarins, triterpenoids, ascorbic acid, lycopene, and β-carotene. Also, isolated phytoconstituents as well as the safety profile of the plant have been documented. This review on Launaea taraxacifolia has provided a one-stop documentation of information in support of the several purported ethnopharmacological uses of the plant. It also reveals information gaps such as the need to research into its pharmacokinetics, interactions with drugs of importance, and its development into a plant-based drug in order to expand its clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a further step towards the modernization of acupuncture, the objective of this review was to figure out the frequency and severity of adverse complications and events in acupuncture treatment reported from 1980 to 2013 in China. All first-hand case reports of acupuncture-related complications and adverse events that could be identified in the scientific literature were reviewed and classified according to the type of complication and adverse event, circumstance of the event, and long-term patient outcome. The selected case reports were published between 1980 and 2013 in 3 databases. Relevant papers were collected and analyzed by 2 reviewers. Over the 33 years, 182 incidents were identified in 133 relevant papers. Internal organ, tissue, or nerve injury is the main complications of acupuncture especially for pneumothorax and central nervous system injury. Adverse effects also included syncope, infections, hemorrhage, allergy, burn, aphonia, hysteria, cough, thirst, fever, somnolence, and broken needles. Qualifying training of acupuncturists should be systemized and the clinical acupuncture operations should be standardized in order to effectively prevent the occurrence of acupuncture accidents, enhance the influence of acupuncture, and further popularize acupuncture to the rest of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Many health benefits are claimed by individuals and facilities promoting sauna bathing; however the medical evidence to support these claims is not well established. This paper aims to systematically review recent research on the effects of repeated dry sauna interventions on human health. Methods. A systematic search was made of medical databases for studies reporting on the health effects of regular dry sauna bathing on humans from 2000 onwards. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Results. Forty clinical studies involving a total of 3855 participants met the inclusion criteria. Only 13 studies were randomized controlled trials and most studies were small (n<40). Reported outcome measures were heterogeneous with most studies reporting beneficial health effects. Only one small study (n=10) reported an adverse health outcome of disrupted male spermatogenesis, demonstrated to be reversible when ceasing sauna activity. Conclusions. Regular dry sauna bathing has potential health benefits. More data of higher quality is needed on the frequency and extent of adverse side effects. Further study is also needed to determine the optimal frequency and duration of distinct types of sauna bathing for targeted health effects and the specific clinical populations who are most likely to benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The traditional Chinese medicine Kangai injection as an adjuvant method in combination with chemotherapy has been widely used for treating breast cancer in clinical practice in China. This study systematically reviewed the clinical effect and safety of traditional Chinese medicine Kangai injection as an adjuvant method in combination with chemotherapy for treating Chinese patients with breast cancer. Methods. Seven databases were searched in this study, namely, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Sino Med, VIP, and Wanfang Data. The timeframe of retrieval was set from the founding date of each database to November 1, 2017. Results. Fifteen papers were included in this study. The quality of all the studies included was low. All the studies were carried out among the Chinese population. Meta-analyses showed that, compared with single-use chemotherapy, using a Kangai injection combined with chemotherapy to treat Chinese breast cancer patient can increase the total effective rate [RR = 1.15, 95% CI (1.01, 1.32), and P=0.033], improve the quality of life [RR = 1.30, 95% CI (1.14, 1.48), and P≤0.001], decrease the incidence of weight loss [RR = 0.49, 95% CI (0.32, 0.77), and P=0.002], decrease WBC count [RR = 0.78, 95% CI (0.68, 0.89), and P≤0.001], decrease incidence of renal and liver dysfunction [RR = 0.58, 95% CI (0.46, 0.73), and P≤0.001], and decrease cardiac dysfunction [RR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.18, 0.94), and P=0.035]. For the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions [RR = 0.89, 95% CI (0.65, 1.21), and P=0.452], decreased platelet count [RR=0.49, 95% CI (0.18, 1.30), and P=0.150], and alopecia [RR = 1.01, 95% CI (0.89, 1.14), and P=0.879], these two groups showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion. Kangai injection as an adjuvant method in combination with chemotherapy for treating Chinese breast cancer patients can improve their life quality and physical conditions and reduce the adverse reactions that result from chemotherapy. However, the present conclusion is only suitable for the Chinese population. The long-term, high-quality researches are required to further verify the above conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]