Intervention Review

Chinese medicinal herbs for acute bronchitis

  1. Jiafu Wei2,
  2. Juan Ni2,
  3. Taixiang Wu1,*,
  4. Xiao Y Chen3,
  5. Xin Duan4,
  6. Guan J Liu5,
  7. Jieqi Qiao2,
  8. Qin Wang6,
  9. Jie Zheng2,
  10. Likun Zhou2

Editorial Group: Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group

Published Online: 16 JUN 2010

Assessed as up-to-date: 27 FEB 2007

DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004560.pub3

Database Title

Additional Information

How to Cite

Wei J, Ni J, Wu T, Chen XY, Duan X, Liu GJ, Qiao J, Wang Q, Zheng J, Zhou L. Chinese medicinal herbs for acute bronchitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004560. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004560.pub3.

Author Information

  1. 1

    West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chinese Cochrane Centre, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Centre, INCLEN Resource and Training Centre, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

  2. 2

    West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

  3. 3

    The General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army (PLAGH) (also Hospital 301), Department of Neurology, Beijing, Beijing, China

  4. 4

    West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

  5. 5

    West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chinese Cochrane Centre, Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Centre, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

  6. 6

    West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Department of Endocrinology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

*Taixiang Wu, Chinese Cochrane Centre, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Centre, INCLEN Resource and Training Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China. txwutx@hotmail.com.

Publication History

  1. Publication Status: Edited (no change to conclusions)
  2. Published Online: 16 JUN 2010

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Abstract

  1. Top of page
  2. Abstract
  3. Plain language summary
  4. 摘要

Background

Acute bronchitis is one of the most common diagnoses made by primary-care physicians. It is traditionally treated with antibiotics (although the evidence for their effectiveness is weak and modest at best), and other even less effective treatments. Chinese medicinal herbs have also been used as a treatment.

Objectives

This review aimed to summarise the existing evidence on the comparative effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs for treating uncomplicated acute bronchitis.

Search methods

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library, 2007, issue 1), which includes the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's specialised register; MEDLINE (1966 to March Week 1, 2007); EMBASE (1988 to January 2007); The Chinese Cochrane Centre's Controlled Trials Register (up to January 2007); and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) (1980 to January 2007).

Selection criteria

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Chinese medicinal herbs with placebo, antibiotics or other Western medicines for the treatment of uncomplicated acute bronchitis.

Data collection and analysis

At least two review authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality.

Main results

No studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. One study with 300 participants but uncertain randomisation was analysed . The study showed that treatment with the Chinese medicinal herb Huoke granules leads to a shorter duration of cough, fever and sputum compared to using penicillin and Xiaoer Shangfeng Zhike tangjiang syrup. However, the study also lacked allocation concealment and blinding. There was a high possibility of conflict of interest as the Huoke granules were made by the trial author's hospital.

Authors' conclusions

There is insufficient quality data to recommend the routine use of Chinese herbs for acute bronchitis. Study-design limitations of the individual studies meant that no conclusion about the benefits of Chinese herbs could be taken. In addition, the safety of Chinese herbs is unknown due to the lack of toxicological evidence on these Chinese herbs, though adverse events were reported in some case reports.

 

Plain language summary

  1. Top of page
  2. Abstract
  3. Plain language summary
  4. 摘要

There is no evidence to decide whether Chinese medicinal herbs improve acute bronchitis

This review assessed the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs commonly used in China. There is no evidence from randomised controlled trials to demonstrate that Chinese medicinal herbs are efficacious in treating acute bronchitis. We identified biases such as selection bias, conflict of interest and study design limitations. In addition, the safety of Chinese medicinal herbs is unknown due to the lack of toxicological evidence, though adverse events were reported in some case reports.

 

摘要

  1. Top of page
  2. Abstract
  3. Plain language summary
  4. 摘要

背景

急性支氣管炎的中草藥治療

急性支氣管炎是家庭醫師平日常見的診斷，雖然抗生素治療的證據並不充分，但傳統上卻常給予病人抗生素、甚或其他效果不彰的藥物治療；中草藥也常被用來治療急性支氣管炎。

目標

這篇文章將整理現有的證據，以評估中草藥治療無併發症之急性支氣管炎的療效與安全性。

搜尋策略

我們搜尋了Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2007, issue 1)，其中包含了Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infection Group's Specialised Register、MEDLINE(1966年至2007年7月3月的第1週)、EMBASE (1988年至2007年1月)、Chinese Cochrane Center's Controlled Trials Register (直到2007年1月) ，以及Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM)(1980年至2007年1月)。

選擇標準

收錄比較中草藥、安慰劑、抗生素及其他常用的西藥，用以治療無併發症的急性支氣管炎之Randomised controlled trials (RCTs)。

資料收集與分析

至少有2位作者各自擷取資料並評估試驗品質。

主要結論

沒有任何試驗符合收錄標準，但我們還是分析了其中1篇規模300人、但隨機分派情況無法確認的研究。這篇文章顯示，使用Huoke granules將比使用Penicillin 及 Xiaoer Shangfeng Zhike tangjiang syrup，更能縮短咳嗽、發燒及痰液分泌的病程。然而這篇研究卻缺乏了隱藏實驗分組或盲法的設計方式，且因為Huoke granules是作者醫院自行製造的藥品，而可能有利益上的問題。

作者結論

我們並沒有足夠的證據支持中草藥治療急性支氣管炎是否有效；因為實驗設計本身的缺陷，所以無法得到足以令人信服的結論。又，即使有幾篇病例報告中曾經提到中草藥的副作用，但我們仍缺乏毒物學的證據來證實中草藥的安全與否。

翻譯人

本摘要由慈濟醫院鄭育容翻譯。

此翻譯計畫由臺灣國家衛生研究院(National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan)統籌。

總結

截至目前為止，並沒有足夠的證據可以證實中草藥治療急性支氣管炎是否有效。這篇文章評估了在中國經常使用的草藥療效，結果並無RCT等級的證據可以支持中草藥治療急性支氣管炎的療效，我們也同時發現了這些研究所內含的選樣偏差、利益衝突，以及實驗設計的限制性等。此外，即使有幾篇病例報告中曾經提到中草藥的副作用，但我們仍缺乏毒物學的證據來證實中草藥的安全與否。

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