Chinese traditional medicine and asthma
| Reference | No, definition, duration of trial | Treatment (n) | Control (n) | Primary measures | Results | Jadad score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li et al 4 | 61 asthmatics, 8 weeks | Ginkgo leaf liquor (39) | Placebo (22) | Lung function tests | Clinically relevant increase in FEV1 at 8 weeks (p<0.05), significantly greater than control (p<0.05) | 1 |
| Shao et al 5 | 150 bronchial asthmatics (moderate to severe), 1 month | L wallichii mixture (100) | Control tea (50) | Lung function tests; subjective symptoms | Increase in FEV1 with treatment but not clinically significant. Improvement in subjective symptoms with treatment but no criteria or statistics | 1 |
| Xuet al 6 | 117 cold and heat type asthmatics, 2 weeks | SBR decoction (58) | Control herbal tea (59) | Lung function tests | Increase in FEV1 with treatment but not clinically relevant | 1 |
| Xuet al 7 | 41 severe asthmatics, 4–6 months | RKISP decoction and steroid aerosol (21) | Steroid aerosol (20) | Lung function tests | Clinically relevant increase in FEV1 (p<0.05) but not greater than control | 1 |
| Xu and Xu8 | 57 seasonal asthmatics, 3 months | IKPA tablets and inhaled BDP (32) | Inhaled BDP only (25) | Lung function tests | Clinically relevant increase in FEV1 with treatment (p<0.001), significantly greater than control (p<0.05) | 1 |
| Zou et al 9 | 68 asthmatics of ‘cold type’, 8 weeks | Wenyang Tonglulo mixture (34) | Oral salbutamol and aerosol BCP (34) | Lung function tests | Clinically relevant increase in FEV1 with treatment (p<0.05), significantly greater than control (p<0.05) | 1 |
SBR = strengthening body resistance; IKPA = invigorating kidney for preventing asthma; RKISP = reinforcing kidney and invigorating spleen principle; FEV1= forced expiratory volume in one second; BCP = beclomethasone dipropionate.