Herbal medicines in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review

ObjectiveThe purpose of this review is to identify evidence in herbal therapy in the treatment of ADHD concerning effectiveness and drug tolerability.MethodFor this Medline/PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central) were searched from their inception to 15 July 2016. Only randomized controlled trails (RCT) with children (0–18 years) suffering from ADHD were included in this review.ResultsNine RCTs with 464 patients comparing herbal pharmaceuticals to placebo or active control were included. Seven different herbs were tested in the treatment of ADHD symptoms. Low evidence could be found for Melissa officinalis, Valeriana officinalis and Passiflora incarnata. Limited evidence could be found for pine bark extract and Gingko biloba. The other herbal preparations showed no efficacy in the treatment of ADHD symptoms.ConclusionWhile there is still a lack of sufficient numbers of RCTs no concrete recommendations for use can be made so far.     

Rikkunshito for upper gastrointestinal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Upper gastrointestinal symptoms are major issues in various diseases such as postgastrectomy syndrome and functional dyspepsia. These symptoms cannot be fully controlled in such conditions and result in poorer quality of life. Rikkunshito has been traditionally used in Japan to relieve these symptoms. This systematic review assessed the efficacy and safety of rikkunshito for relieving upper gastrointestinal symptoms.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ICHUSHI. Randomized controlled trials comparing rikkunshito to alternative drugs for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal symptoms were searched without language restriction. Two review authors independently assessed the literature and extracted data from identified studies. The risk of bias in each study was assessed.Results: Twenty-four studies with a combined total of 2175 participants were included in this review. Rikkunshito did not significantly relieve upper gastrointestinal symptoms when compared with other treatments via the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (standardized mean difference, −0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.31 to 0.17; P = 0.59), while it significantly relieved the symptoms on a 5-point scale (mean difference, −0.38; 95% CI, −0.55 to −0.21; P < 0.001). No drug-related severe adverse events were reported. Most of the included studies had high or unclear overall risk of bias.Conclusions: It remains still unclear whether rikkunshito is effective for the relief of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Further high-quality studies are needed.     

Western herbal medicines in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of Western herbal medicines in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).DesignA computer-based search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, GreenFILE, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and the Cochrane Library was conducted. A hand-search of the bibliographies of relevant papers and previous meta-analyses and reviews was also undertaken. Trials were included in the review if they were double-blind and placebo-controlled investigating the effects of Western herbal medicines on IBS-related symptoms or quality of life. There were no language restrictions. Eligibility assessment and data extraction were performed by two independent researchers. For herbal medicines where there was more than 1 trial of similar design, data were synthesised using relative risk of symptoms improving using the random effects model.ResultsThirty-three trials were identified that met all eligibility criteria. Seventeen of these evaluated peppermint essential oil, fifteen other Western herbal medicines, and one trial evaluated peppermint oil in one arm and aniseed essential oil in the other arm. Eighteen different herbal preparations were evaluated in these trials. Data suggests that a number of Western herbal medicines may provide relief of IBS symptoms. Meta-analyses suggest that peppermint essential oil is both efficacious and well-tolerated in the short-term management of IBS. Aloe vera and asafoetida also demonstrated efficacy in reducing global IBS symptoms in meta-analyses. The herbal formulas STW 5, STW 5-II and Carmint, along with Ferula assa-foetida, Pimpenella anisum oil, the combination of Curcumin and Foeniculum vulgare oil, and the blend of Schinopsis lorentzii, Aesculus hippocastanum, and peppermint essential oil also demonstrated efficacy in rigorously-designed clinical trials.ConclusionA number of Western herbal medicines show promise in the treatment of IBS. With the exception of peppermint essential oil, Aloe vera, and asafoetida, however, none of the positive trials have been replicated. This lack of replication limits the capacity to make definitive statements of efficacy for these herbal medicines.     

Total glucosides of paeony for rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundTotal glucosides of paeony (TGP) is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China. However, clinical practice hasn’t been well informed by evidence from appropriately conducted systematic reviews. This PRISMA-compliant systematic review aims at examining the effectiveness and safety of TGP for RA.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TGP with placebo, no treatment, or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for patients with RA were retrieved by searching seven databases. Primary outcomes included disease improvement and disease remission. Secondary outcomes included adverse effects, pain, health-related quality of life, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Data extraction and analyses were conducted according to the Cochrane standards. We assessed risk of bias for each included studies and quality of evidence on pre-specified outcomes.ResultsEight studies enrolling 1209 patients with active RA were included in this systematic review. On the basis of traditional DMARD(s), TGP might be beneficial for patients with RA in improvement of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 response rate, ACR 50 response rate, ACR70 response rate, and in reduction of adverse effects, compared with no treatment. The overall methodological quality of included studies and the quality of evidence for each outcome were limited.ConclusionsCurrent trials suggested potential benefits of TGP for RA on the basis of traditional DMARD(s). Therefore, TGP may be a good choice for RA as an adjuvant therapy. However, considering the limited methodological quality and strength of evidence, high-quality RCTs are warranted to support the use of TGP for RA.     

Clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine versus placebo for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveRandomized clinical trials and published meta-analyses assessing the clinical effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) yielded inconsistent results in terms of disease outcomes, in which the design of placebo-controlled studies can contribute to the heterogeneity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM compared to placebo on the treatment of stable COPD, to provide robust evidence for the use of CHM in COPD.MethodsNine electronic databases were searched from inception to October 1, 2019 to identify placebo controlled randomized trials of CHM for the treatment of stable COPD and studies in English or Chinese were included. The primary outcomes were symptom score (CAT score), quality of life (SGRQ) and frequency of acute exacerbations. The secondary outcomes included lung function, clinical total effective rate and adverse events. The selection of studies, data extraction and coding and assessment of risk of bias of the included studies were conducted by two reviewers independently. Mean difference (MD) was used to analyze continuous variable and relative risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data.ResultsA total of eleven studies involving 1223 patients were included. While maintaining routine western pharmacotherapies (WP), CHM had significant advantage over the treatment of placebo in improving CAT score (MD -3.93; 95 %CI -6.01 to -1.85) and SGRQ score (MD -6.20; 95 %CI -10.13 to -2.28), reducing the frequency of acute exacerbations (MD -0.78; 95 %CI -1.40 to -0.16) and improving clinical effective rate (RR 1.29; 95 %CI 1.14 to 1.45), but had no significant effect on improving FEV₁%pred (MD 8.18; 95 %CI -4.22 to 20.58). High heterogeneity was found for the changes in exacerbation frequency and FEV₁%pred. No serious adverse events related to CHM were reported.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis of placebo-controlled RCTs demonstrated that the use of CHM in addition to WP could alleviate clinical symptoms, improve quality of life and clinical efficiency and reduce the frequency of exacerbations, which could be an alternative approach for treatment adjustment of COPD. CHM was a relatively safe treatment. These findings need to be verified in future with high-quality clinical trials.     

The efficacy of high- and low-dose curcumin in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to critically appraise and evaluate effects of low- and high-dose curcuminoids on pain and functional improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to compare adverse events (AEs) between curcuminoids and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).MethodsWe systematically reviewed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on curcuminoids in knee osteoarthritis from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, AMED, Cinahl, ISI Web of Science, Chinese medical database, and Indian Scientific databases from inception to June 21, 2021.ResultsWe included eleven studies with a total of 1258 participants with primary knee OA. The meta-analysis results showed that curcuminoids were significantly more effective than comparators regarding visual analogue scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) pain scores. However, no significant difference in pain relief or AEs between the high-dose (daily dose ≥1000 mg or total dose ≥42 gm) and low-dose (daily dose <1000 mg or total dose <42 gm) curcuminoid treatments was observed. When comparing curcumininoids versus NSAIDs, a significant difference in VAS pain was found. For AE analysis, three of our included studies used NSAIDs as comparators, with all reporting higher AE rates in the NSAID group, though significance was reached in only one study.ConclusionsThe results of our meta-analysis suggest that low- and high-dose curcuminoids have similar pain relief effects and AEs in knee OA. Curcuminoids are also associated with better pain relief than NSAIDs; therefore, using curcuminoids as an adjunctive treatment in knee OA is recommended.     

Clinical efficacy and safety of prolonged versus intermittent administration of antipseudomonal beta-lactam antibiotics in adults with severe acute infections: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

IntroductionIn order to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of prolonged versus intermittent antipseudomonal beta-lactam antibiotic infusion for the treatment of severe acute infections in adult patients, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed.MethodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases until December 2022. The outcomes were all-cause mortality, clinical success, microbiological eradication and adverse events. The pooled risk ratios (RR) were estimated by the fixed or random effect methods according to heterogeneity statistics. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence for each outcome.ResultsTwenty eligible RCTs with 2081 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the prolonged infusion group than in the intermittent infusion group (RR 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63–0.95, p = 0.01, I² = 0%; moderate certainty). Treatment with prolonged infusion showed significant benefit in clinical success (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.17, p = 0.008, I² = 19%; moderate certainty). There were no significant differences in microbiological eradication (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.99–1.28, p = 0.07, I² = 49%; low certainty), any adverse events (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.86–1.08, p = 0.50, I² = 27%; moderate certainty) and serious adverse events (RR 0.99, 95%CI 0.70–1.39 p = 0.95, I² = 0%; low certainty).ConclusionsProlonged antipseudomonal beta-lactam infusion probably decreases all-cause mortality. Additionally, it probably increases clinical success in adults with severe acute infections. This infusion strategy may result in little to no difference in microbiological eradication and is probably not associated with a rise in any adverse events.The evidence suggests that prolonged infusion may not increase serious adverse events.     

Complementary medicine mention and recommendations are limited across hypertension guidelines: A systematic review

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the quantity of complementary medicine (CM) recommendations and their quality across clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment and/or management of hypertension.Design/SettingA systematic review was conducted to identify hypertension CPGs. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched from 2008 to 2018, alongside the Guidelines International Network and the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health websites. Eligible articles were assessed with the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument.Outcome/ResultsFrom 1445 unique search results, 18 CPGs for the treatment and/or management of hypertension published in 2008 or later were eligible for review, though only 1 contained CM recommendations. This CPG was published by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension, and made a recommendation regarding the Mediterranean diet. The scaled domain percentages of this CPG overall scored significantly better than the CM section across every domain, and were as follows: (overall, CM): scope and purpose (88.9 %, 66.7 %), clarity-of-presentation (88.9 %, 0.0 %), stakeholder involvement (66.7 %, 16.7 %), applicability (60.4 %, 0.0 %), rigor-of-development (35.4 %, 15.6 %), and editorial independence (4.2 %, 0.0 %).ConclusionA lack of CM treatment recommendations exists in CPGs for the treatment and/or management of hypertension. Given that it is known that a high proportion of patients with hypertension seek CM, current hypertension guidelines’ lack of CM treatment and/or management recommendations reflects a large gap in guidance for both clinicians and patients.     

硝苯地平治疗单纯收缩期高血压有效性和安全性的系统评价

目的评价单用硝苯地平治疗单纯收缩期高血压(ISH)的有效性和安全性。方法计算机检索Cochrane Library(2013年第5期),PubMed、EMbase、CBM、EMCC、CNKI、VIP和WanFang Data等数据库,检索时限从1996年1月至2013年6月。文献的质量评价按照Cochrane系统评价手册进行,使用RevMan 5.0软件进行系统评价。结果最终纳入6篇随机对照试验进行分析,合计695例患者。Meta分析结果显示:1降压有效率:硝苯地平缓释片较复方降压片高,差异有统计学意义[RD=0.26,95%CI(0.11,0.40),P0.05],其余各组差异无统计学意义。2不良反应/事件发生率:硝苯地平片与尼莫地平片[RD=0.02,95%CI(-0.16,-0.19),P=0.83],硝苯地平控释片与苯磺酸氨氯地平片[RD=0.05,95%CI(-0.01,0.10),P=0.12],硝苯地平缓释片与复方降压片[RD=-0.10,95%CI(-0.24,0.04),P=0.18]比较,差异无统计学意义。结论本系统评价显示治疗ISH疗效:1硝苯地平缓释片强于复方降压片;2硝苯地平控释片与苯磺酸氨氯地平片相似,但弱于吲达帕胺片;3硝苯地平片与尼莫地平片相似。单用硝苯地平治疗ISH的不良反应可以接受。     

针灸对脓毒症疗效与安全性的系统评价

目的系统评价针灸治疗脓毒症患者的疗效和安全性。方法计算机检索PubMed、EMbase、The Cochrane Library、CNKI、WanFang Data、VIP和CBM数据库,搜集针灸治疗脓毒症患者的随机对照试验(RCT),检索时限均从建库至2019年10月1日。由2位评价员独立筛选文献、提取资料并评价纳入研究的偏倚风险后,采用RevMan 5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果纳入20个研究,共1 337例患者。Meta分析结果显示:针灸+常规方法治疗脓毒症患者在28天病死率[RR=0.69,95%CI(0.5,0.96),P=0.03]、治疗后第3天APACHEⅡ评分[MD=-2.4,95%CI(-3.68,-1.12),P=0.0002]、治疗后第7天APACHEⅡ评分[MD=-4.37,95%CI(-6.32,-2.21),P<0.0001]、ICU住院时长[MD=-1.54,95%CI(-2.81,-0.27),P=0.02]、胃肠道功能改善有效率[RR=1.5,95%CI(1.09,2.06),P=0.01]、治疗后第7天PCT浓度[MD=-2.23,95%CI(-3.33,-1.13),P<0.001]和TNF-α浓度[MD=-14.86,95%CI(-23.74,-5.97),P=0.001]方面,与常规治疗组的差异均具有统计学意义。但在治疗后第7天CD8^+记数[MD=1.65,95%CI(-0.32,3.62),P=0.1]方面,二者差异无统计学意义。结论现有有限证据表明,针灸可能是潜在的治疗脓毒症患者的方法之一。受纳入研究数量和质量限制,上述结论尚需开展更多高质量研究予以验证。     

Clinical effects of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.): A systematic review on clinical trials

PurposeThe aim of present study was to review and categorize the clinical trials investigating the clinical effects of different botanical parts of dates compared with any controls.MethodsAll clinical trials (randomized, pilot, quasi-experimental, cross-over. and non-randomized clinical trials) evaluating the clinical effects of date palm from 2000 until August 2019 in English and Persian languages were included in this systematic review. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the risk of bias assessment of Cochrane handbook of systematic reviews, and then reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement.ResultsTwenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were performed in 8 categories based on different botanical parts of date palm. These categories were obstetrics, gynecology, oncology, dermatology, hematology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, metabolism, and infertility. A total of 38 % of included studies were randomized controlled trials. Further, 80 % of the included studies had performance and detection bias. Finally, about 50 % of them had selection bias and about 20 % had attrition and reporting bias.ConclusionThe widespread consumption of date palm as medicinal and botanical plant suggests the importance of this plant in human healthcare. The clinical trials conducted so far have explained a number of clinical effects of date palm. However, there is not enough clinical evidence to support the clinical effects in other review articles and traditional medical systems, and further randomized controlled trials with robust designs and methods are required.     

The effect of Chinese herbal medicine on hemorrhagic shock: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundChinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been widely used in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock (HS) in China. Many controlled trials have been undertaken to investigate its efficacy.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CHM for Hemorrhagic Shock patients.MethodsWe screening the Web of ScienceDirect database, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, China Biomedical Database web (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and WanFang database (WF), from inception to January 2015. All the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared CHM plus conventional therapy with conventional therapy alone for HS patients were included. Meta-analysis on included studies was performed using fixed-effects model with RevMan 5.2. Risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as effect measure. STATA 12.0 was used for publication bias.ResultsFifteen RCTs involving 1076 participants were included in the meta-analysis. CHM combined with conventional therapy was tested to be more effective in reduce mortality (RR = 0.24, 95%CI:0.13–0.46, P < 0.0001), reduce the incidence of MODS (RR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.34–0.66,P < 0.00001), symptomatic improvement: increase blood pressure (BP) (MD = 8.83, 95%CI:6.82–10.84,P < 0.00001), regulate heart rate (MD = −7.6,95%CI:−9.17 to −6.02,P < 0.00001), increase urine volume (MD = 7.26, 95%CI:5.00–9.53, P < 0.00001), compared with conventional therapy alone. No serious adverse events were reported.ConclusionsCHM combined with conventional therapy seems to be more effective on HS patients. However, the analysis results should be interpreted with caution due to the low methodological quality of the included trials. Future, the rigorously designed, high methodological quality, multicenter and large-scale trials are needed to confirm these conclusions.     

Multiple sclerosis clinical practice guidelines provide few complementary and alternative medicine recommendations: A systematic review

ObjectiveComplementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is prevalent among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet the quantity and quality of CAM recommendations in MS clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to determine the mention of CAM in MS CPGs and assess the quality of CAM recommendations.Design/SettingA systematic review was conducted to identify MS CPGs. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched from 2008 to 2018. The Guidelines International Network and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) websites were also searched. Eligible CPGs containing CAM recommendations published by non-profit agencies on the treatment of MS for adults were assessed for quality and reporting using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument.Outcome/ResultsFrom 204 unique search results, six CPGs mentioned CAM and four made CAM recommendations. Scaled domain percentages from highest to lowest were clarity of presentation (90.3 % Overall, 83.3 % CAM), scope and purpose (87.5 % Overall, 86.8 % CAM), rigour of development (80.0 % Overall, 61.7 % CAM), applicability (55.2 % Overall, 44.3 % CAM), editorial independence (49.0 % Overall, 47.9 % CAM), and stakeholder involvement (55.6 % Overall, 39.6 % CAM). Quality varied within and across CPGs. Three of the four CPGs were recommended by both appraisers; one was recommended as "No" or "Yes with modifications".ConclusionCAM recommendations were only present in one third of all eligible CPGs. CPGs that scored highly can be used by patients and healthcare professionals as the basis for discussion about the use of CAM therapies for MS treatment/management. Although many people living with MS (PwMS) seek CAM therapies, few CPGs are available to provide guidance for clinicians and patients.     

The antidepressant effects of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.): A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials

Background and aimsAntidepressant drugs are accompanied with high rate of adverse effects. Lavender is one of the most common herbal drugs mentioned in Traditional Persian literature with potential efficacy on mental disorders and less serious side effects. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of lavender on depression severity by preforming a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsDatabases including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library, Embase and Web of science were searched for relevant articles till December 2020. Quality of studies were evaluated by Jadad scale and the Cochrane collaboration tool. Depression as endpoint measure or as a subscale of any valid assessment tool was subjected to quantitative data analyses. Both fixed and random effects meta-analysis were conducted for data synthesis.ResultsOut of 342 screened studies, 17 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Results showed significant efficacy of lavender in decreasing depression scores compared to the control group (pooled Standardized Mean Difference (SMD)= -0.66, 95 % CI: -0.85 to -0.46;P < 0.001, I² = 68.2 %;). Subgroup analysis proved that the effect of lavender was marginally more pronounced in participants with diagnosed depression (pooled SMD= -0.62, 95 % CI: -1.26 to 0.01, P = 0.055; I² = 88.1 %) while its effect was statistically significant in patients having other diseases with concomitant depressive symptoms (pooled SMD= -0.65, 95 % CI: -1.84 to -0.46, P < 0.001; I² = 52.1 %), and the oral route (pooled SMD= -0.56, 95 % CI: -1.07 to -0.05, P = 0.032; I² = 85.2 %;) was the most effective route of administration.ConclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that lavender has significant antidepressant effects. However, due to some limitations, further large clinical trials are recommended with more homogeneous populations and rigorous designs.     

The efficacy of outpatient and community-based aphasia group interventions: A systematic review

Abstract

This paper examines the evidence for community and outpatient aphasia groups using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. A systematic search of the literature using eight electronic databases was completed; 29 studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Level of evidence and methodological quality was assessed and effect sizes calculated where possible. Evidence favouring community and outpatient groups centred on four level ii and level iii-i studies that examined the efficacy of highly structured group activities for improving specific linguistic processes with five medium–large effect sizes calculated. Medium and large effect sizes were also calculated on a level iii-i study examining number of friendships and community access. No effect sizes were available for level ii or level iii studies examining communication activity and participation. Overall, the results indicate that community and outpatient group participation can improve specific linguistic processes. There is also some evidence that group participation can benefit social networks and community access. However, there is limited evidence demonstrating improvement in functional communication as a consequence of group participation. The current evidence is not comprehensive. Further well-designed studies, particularly examining activity and participation, and contextual factors are required to advance community and outpatient aphasia group practice and participation.     

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese patent medicine Jinqi Jiangtang Tablet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

IntroductionAt present, a large number of people in the world are suffering from type 2 diabetes (T2DM), so it is urgent to develop effective treatment measures of T2DM. In China, many clinical studies have shown that Jinqi Jiangtang Tablet (JQJTT), a traditional Chinese patent medicine (TCPM), has a good effect in the treatment of T2DM. This systematic review and meta-analysis is intended to assess the efficacy and safety of JQJTT plus conventional therapy in the treatment of T2DM.MethodsSeven electronic databases were searched to include in eligible studies published from inception to May 24, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of JQJTT in combination with the conventional therapy versus conventional therapy alone or combined with placebo were included. The two reviewers independently conducted data extraction and quality assessment. For different variable types, the outcome measures were expressed as risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences (MDs). According to the value of I², a fixed or random effect model was used for statistical analysis.ResultsSeventeen studies conducted in China were identified in this systematic review, which included 1,425 participants. The meta-analysis on the effective rate of the comparison groups showed a significant difference in favor of the JQJTT group (RR 1.34; 95%CI [1.02, 1.75]; p = 0.04). In addition, the results showed a statistically significant reduction in FBG (MD −0.85; 95%CI [−1.03, −0.68]; p < 0.00001), 2hPG (MD −1.95; 95%CI [−2.33, −1.56]; p < 0.00001), HbA1c (MD −0.76; 95%CI [−1.03, −0.49]; p < 0.00001), FINS (MD −3.05; 95%CI [−3.69, −2.42]; p < 0.00001), PINS (MD −10.22; 95%CI [−13.93, −6.50]; p < 0.00001), HOMA-IR (MD −1.11; 95%CI [−1.55, −0.68]; p < 0.00001), LDL-C (MD −0.37; 95%CI [−0.63, −0.11]; p = 0.006), TC (MD −0.46; 95%CI [−0.85, −0.08]; p = 0.02), TG (MD −0.34; 95%CI [−0.47, −0.20]; p < 0.00001) with JQJTT plus conventional therapy versus conventional therapy alone. There was no statistical difference between the two comparison groups in HDL-C, total incidence of adverse events and incidence of hypoglycemia.ConclusionThe available evidence indicates that JQJTT combined with conventional therapy for treating T2DM has a good performance in regulating glycolipid metabolism and improving insulin resistance. However, due to the limitations of this systematic review, the results should be interpreted with caution.