Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a worldwide outbreak of respiratory illness. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and adverse events of herbal medicines for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: Twelve databases were searched through 12 May 2020. Rando...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-05-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/5/1583 |
| _version_ | 1797567241499181056 |
|---|---|
| author | Lin Ang Eunhye Song Hye Won Lee Myeong Soo Lee |
| author_facet | Lin Ang Eunhye Song Hye Won Lee Myeong Soo Lee |
| author_sort | Lin Ang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a worldwide outbreak of respiratory illness. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and adverse events of herbal medicines for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: Twelve databases were searched through 12 May 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs assessing the effects of herbal medicines for the treatment of COVID-19 were eligible. The study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used for the assessment of the risk of bias in all included RCTs. Mean differences (MDs), risk ratios (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and the effect sizes of the studies were pooled. Results: Seven RCTs with a total of 855 patients were included. All included trials compared the combined therapy of herbal medicine with Western medicine to Western medicine alone. The combined therapy significantly improved the total effective rate (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.34, <i>p</i> < 0.001), cough symptom disappearance rate (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.89, <i>p</i> = 0.005), and sputum production symptom disappearance rate (RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.50, <i>p</i> = 0.004). Beneficial effects of the combined therapy were also seen in TCM syndrome score of cough (MD −1.18, 95% CI −1.34 to −1.03, <i>p</i> < 0.001), fever (MD −0.62, 95% CI −0.79 to −0.45, <i>p</i> < 0.001), dry and sore throat (MD −0.83, 95% CI −1.45 to −0.20, <i>p</i> = 0.009), and fatigue (MD −0.60, 95% CI −1.04 to −0.17, <i>p</i> = 0.007). The overall risk of bias of the included studies was unclear. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Significant effects of the combined therapy of herbal medicine with Western medicine were found, and revealed the potential role of herbal medicine in treating COVID-19. More high-quality RCTs are needed to further validate the effectiveness and adverse events of herbal medicine in the treatment of COVID-19. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:38:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab4942ac88934a4faca3094c08f544e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:38:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab4942ac88934a4faca3094c08f544e52023-11-20T01:28:41ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832020-05-0195158310.3390/jcm9051583Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsLin Ang0Eunhye Song1Hye Won Lee2Myeong Soo Lee3Clinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, KoreaGlobal Strategy Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, KoreaHerbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, KoreaClinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, KoreaBackground: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a worldwide outbreak of respiratory illness. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and adverse events of herbal medicines for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: Twelve databases were searched through 12 May 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs assessing the effects of herbal medicines for the treatment of COVID-19 were eligible. The study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used for the assessment of the risk of bias in all included RCTs. Mean differences (MDs), risk ratios (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and the effect sizes of the studies were pooled. Results: Seven RCTs with a total of 855 patients were included. All included trials compared the combined therapy of herbal medicine with Western medicine to Western medicine alone. The combined therapy significantly improved the total effective rate (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.34, <i>p</i> < 0.001), cough symptom disappearance rate (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.89, <i>p</i> = 0.005), and sputum production symptom disappearance rate (RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.50, <i>p</i> = 0.004). Beneficial effects of the combined therapy were also seen in TCM syndrome score of cough (MD −1.18, 95% CI −1.34 to −1.03, <i>p</i> < 0.001), fever (MD −0.62, 95% CI −0.79 to −0.45, <i>p</i> < 0.001), dry and sore throat (MD −0.83, 95% CI −1.45 to −0.20, <i>p</i> = 0.009), and fatigue (MD −0.60, 95% CI −1.04 to −0.17, <i>p</i> = 0.007). The overall risk of bias of the included studies was unclear. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Significant effects of the combined therapy of herbal medicine with Western medicine were found, and revealed the potential role of herbal medicine in treating COVID-19. More high-quality RCTs are needed to further validate the effectiveness and adverse events of herbal medicine in the treatment of COVID-19.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/5/1583systematic reviewcomplementary and alternative medicineherbal medicinecoronavirus diseaseCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Lin Ang Eunhye Song Hye Won Lee Myeong Soo Lee Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Journal of Clinical Medicine systematic review complementary and alternative medicine herbal medicine coronavirus disease COVID-19 |
| title | Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
| title_full | Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
| title_fullStr | Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
| title_short | Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
| title_sort | herbal medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 covid 19 a systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| topic | systematic review complementary and alternative medicine herbal medicine coronavirus disease COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/5/1583 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT linang herbalmedicineforthetreatmentofcoronavirusdisease2019covid19asystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT eunhyesong herbalmedicineforthetreatmentofcoronavirusdisease2019covid19asystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT hyewonlee herbalmedicineforthetreatmentofcoronavirusdisease2019covid19asystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT myeongsoolee herbalmedicineforthetreatmentofcoronavirusdisease2019covid19asystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials |