Chinese medicinal herbs for influenza

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Influenza poses a significant public health threat, causing high morbidity and mortality during epidemics.
• Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs are explored as potential therapeutic options for influenza management.
• Assessing the efficacy and safety of these herbal treatments is crucial for evidence-based practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs in preventing and treating influenza.
• To determine the frequency of adverse effects associated with these herbal interventions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of multiple databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI) and clinical trial registries.
• Inclusion of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Chinese medicinal herbs with placebo, no treatment, or conventional medicine.
• Independent data extraction and quality assessment by two review authors.

Main Results:

• 18 RCTs with 2521 participants were included; most studies (17) had poor methodological quality.
• Chinese medicinal herbs showed comparable efficacy to antiviral drugs in preventing influenza and alleviating symptoms in limited trials.
• Mild adverse reactions were reported in ten studies; 'Ganmao' capsules showed superiority over amantadine in one study.

Conclusions:

• Most Chinese medicinal herbs demonstrated similar effects to antiviral drugs for influenza prevention and treatment.
• Few herbs showed superiority, and no significant adverse events were reported, but evidence quality is weak.
• High-quality RCTs with larger sample sizes and clear reporting are needed to confirm efficacy and safety.