Total flavonoids from Rhizoma Drynariae (Gusuibu) for treating osteoporotic fractures: implication in clinical practice

This systematic review was performed to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of total flavonoids from Rhizoma Drynariae (TFRD) for osteoporotic fractures and to provide clear evidence for clinical practice. Eight databases were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) until December 2016. Six RCTs involving 846 patients were included. The primary outcomes included fracture recurrence and death. Meta-analysis showed that both the combination therapy and TFRD alone were better than conventional treatments in improving bone mineral density (BMD) value (weighted mean difference [WMD] =3.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01 to 0.04, P=0.0002), (WMD =0.14; 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.16; P<0.00001), respectively, and enhancing therapeutic effect (OR =0.25; 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.51; P=0.0002). Thirty-three patients experienced adverse drug reactions (ADRs), none of the ADRs were severe and all were resolved after symptomatic treatments. Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common ADRs in the usage of TFRD. Overall, the effect of TFRD on osteoporotic fractures was supported by improving BMD and therapeutic effect. Due to the methodological drawbacks of the included studies, the conclusions should be treated with caution for future research. Registration number: CRD42017052797.