Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

Author Year	Jadad score	Participants					Intervention		Outcomes*
		N (CHM/ Control)	CHM		Control		CHM/Control	Duration (days)
			Age	Male (%)	Age	Male (%)
Deng et al. (2006)	3	70/70	32.6	92.9	31.2	85.7	shifusheng/lofexidine	10	1;2;4;6
Guo et al. (1995)	2	212/104	26.4	82.7	26.3	78.4	fukangpian/clonidine	10	1;2;3;4; 6
Guo et al. (2001)	5	103/69	28.5	76.6	29.2	77.1	zhengtongning/clonidine	10	1;3;4;7
Hao and Zhao (2000)	2	21/21	27.7	85.7	24.6	90.5	weinicom/buprenorphine	10	1;3;5
Huang et al. (2005)	2	52/53	30.8	75.0	29.4	71.7	yianhuisheng/methadone	10	1;4;7
Li et al. (1999a)	5	70/70	28.2	65.7	29.0	75.5	lingyi/clonidine	10	1;4;6;8;10
Li et al. (1999b)**	1	100/50/50	39.0	80.0	37.0/38.0	84.0/86.0	Jiedukoufuye/methadone/clonidine	10	1;7
Li et al. (2002)	5	33/30	30.2	–	30.0	–	Shenfutuodu/clonidine	10	1;4;7;10
Liu et al. (2001)	2	34/32	29.7	64.7	28.6	68.8	wenyangyiqi/buprenorphine	7	1
Lu et al. (1997)**	1	100/50/50	24.0	80.0	23.0/23.0	72.0/76.0	Qingjunyin/methadone/clonidine	10	1;3
Lu et al. (2000)	3	30/30	23.5	80.0	24.3	73.1	baokangjiedu/clonidine	10	1;6;11
Sha et al. (2000)***	2	50/50					Xinsheng/methadone	9–11	1;3;
Tu et al. (1999)	3	48/49	29.2	70.8	29.5	69.4	Jitai/Lofexidine	10	1;6;8;9
Wang et al. (2002)	5	86/29	28.6	81.1	27.9	80.0	shenfutuodu/clonidine	10	1;6;8;10
Wen et al. (2000)	2	68/32	28.6	80.9	30.4	84.4	jiaweishenfu/lofexidine	10	1;4;8;9
Xu et al. (2000)	2	20/20	31.4	100	29.3	85.0	qingdubuzheng/methadone	8	1;4;6;11
Xu et al. (2002)	3	80/79	30.2	82.5	29.6	77.2	fuzhengkang/lofexidine	10	1;2;3;4;5;7
Yang et al. (2006)	4	302/278	23.8	64.9	22.9	66.6	paiduyangsheng/methadone	10	4
Zhang et al. (2001)	4	80/30	28.2	91.3	28.0	96.7	shenfutuodu/clonidine	10	1;3;6;7
Zhang (1998)	2	30/15	28.8	71.4	31.2	53.3	ketongning/methadone	10	1
Zhou et al. (2004a)	2	79/20	26.9	73.0	26.6	70.0	yianhuisheng/clonidine	10	1;6;7
Two studies excluded due to heterogeneity
Mo et al. (2003)	2	110/76	32.7	62.73	30.12	61.84	qingfeng/lofexidine	10	1;4
Zhou et al. (2004b)	2	62/61	33.3	87.10	34.03	83.61	Tuoduling/lofexidine	3/10	1;2;3;4;5

Notes: * Outcomes: 1—total score on withdrawal-symptoms scale (WSS); 2—change score on WSS; 3—specific items on WSS; 4—HAMA score; 5—ratings of craving; 6—rate of adverse effects; 7—scoring of adverse effects; 8—blood pressure; 9—heart rate; 10—laboratory exam; 11—number of participants completing detoxification

** Including 2 control groups

*** No detailed characteristics of treatment and control groups were listed, and only the merging information of total participants was listed in study of ‘Sha et al. (2000)’. And the average age was 28.0; the percent of male was 89.4%