Research paper
Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Study answer
What this study found
Overall, several Chinese herbal medicines appeared promising for treating depression, with multiple formulations ranking highly for efficacy and many showing lower adverse-event risk than common antidepressants. Guipiwan and Ease Pill ranked highly for response rate, while Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction, Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Danzhi-Xiaoyao-San, Gan Mai Da Zao Decoction, Buyang Huanwu Decoction, and Xingnao Jieyu Decoction were among the more favorable options for reducing HAMD scores. Xiaoyao Powder was highlighted as having the lowest adverse-event incidence and one of the best safety…
- Study & population
- Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of 198 randomized controlled trials including 8,923 patients with depression or depressive symptoms.
- Intervention
- This review evaluated a range of Chinese herbal medicine regimens used for depression, including decoctions, formulas, capsules, pills, and powders.
- Key limitation
- Most findings were based on network rankings and qualitative comparative statements rather than arm-specific effect sizes, p-values, or confidence intervals in the provided text.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Objectives: Amidst rising global burden of depression and the associated challenges with conventional antidepressant therapies, there is a growing interest in exploring the efficacy and safety of alternative treatments. This study uses a Bayesian net…