Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of influenza: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ObjectiveTo justify the clinical use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the treatment of influenza.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National KnowledgeInfrastructure Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from thedate of inception until January 1, 2013, for the literature on treatment of influenza with TCM.ResultsA total of 7 randomized controlled trials were identified and reviewed. Of these trials, 2 compared a (modified) prescription of TCM with oseltamivir and 5 compared a patent traditional Chinese drug with oseltamivir. Based on the Meta-analysis, compared to oseltamivir, the (modified) prescription had similar effect in defervescence [WMD= 5.66, 95% CI (− 32.02, 43.35), P=0.77] and viral shedding [WMD= − 6.21, 95% CI (− 84.19, 71.76), P= 0.88], and the patent traditional Chinese drug also had similar effect in viral shedding [WMD= − 0.24, 95% CI (− 4.79, 4.31), P=0.92] but more effective in defervescence [WMD= − 4.65, 95%CI (− 8.91, − 0.38), P=0.03].ConclusionTCM has potential positive effects in the treatment of influenza.