Table 1.
Seven randomised controlled trials of herbal formulae for people with allergic rhinitis (2000–2013)
| Study | Authors | Herbal formula | Baseline assessment | Sample and design | Treatment F/U | Main results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Herbal Nasal Drop |
Chui et al., (2010) [15] |
Yu-ping-feng San: |
Interviewed by Chinese medicine practitioner and Western physician |
35 (20 and 15 in treatment and control group, respectively) |
2 weeks treatment |
Significant improvements in clinical symptoms: sneezing, itchiness, running nose, and stuffiness, as well as quality of life in terms of complexion and sleep |
|
Radix Ledebouriellae 5% |
Follow-ups at the 2nd, 5th, and 7th week of treatment (2 + 3 + 2 weeks) after intervention |
|||||
| 14–71 years old | ||||||
| Others: |
Two-groups, cross-over design |
|||||
|
Radix Glycyrrhizae 6% |
Outcomes: |
|||||
|
Herba Centipede 23% |
Clinical symptom score, |
|||||
|
Herba Menthae 16% |
Quality of life (ChQOL questionnaire) |
|||||
|
Radix Paeoniae Alba 16% | ||||||
| Blood test for RFT, LFT, haematological status, and C-reactive protein | ||||||
|
Radix Scutellariae 10% | ||||||
|
Radix Platcodi 6% | ||||||
|
Floz Lonicerae 5% | ||||||
|
Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae 5% | ||||||
|
Rhizoma Coptidis 4% | ||||||
|
Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae 4% | ||||||
| Shi-Bi-Lin |
Zhao et al., (2009) [17] |
Yu-ping-feng San: |
ENT specialist assessment |
126 (both 63 in treatment and control group) |
4 weeks treatment (twice daily) and 5 visits |
Significant improvements in symptom diary and severity, and quality of life |
| Skin test for dust mite, mould, and animal dander |
Baseline measurement and each week of intervention; |
|
||||
|
Saposhnikovia divaricata 7.5 g |
18–65 years old |
|||||
| Double-blinded RCT, with placebo control | ||||||
| Blood test for LFT and full blood count | ||||||
| Outcomes: |
Medical overall assessment not reached statistical significance |
|||||
| 2 weeks follow-up after intervention | ||||||
|
Magnolia biondii Pamp 15 g |
Blood serum IgE, Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP), symptom records, medicine diary, quality of life (SF-36), overall medical condition, and level of compliance |
|||||
| Blood test for IgE and ECP also not significant difference | ||||||
|
Xanthium Sibiricum Patrin ex wider 7.5 g | ||||||
| Others: | ||||||
|
Angelica dahurica 20 g | ||||||
|
Gentiana scabra Bunge 5 g | ||||||
|
Verbena officinalis L. 5 g | ||||||
| Bu-Zhong-Yi-qi-tang |
Yang & Yu, (2008) [20] |
Formula ‘BZYQT, included: |
Skin test and MAST dust mite |
60 (36 and 24 in treatment and control group, respectively) |
3 months treatment (BZYQT & Ping-wai-san) in powder form; 3 times/day after meal |
Nasal score, IgE level, PGE2 and LTC4 significantly decreased immediately after intervention |
| Yu-ping-feng San: | ||||||
|
Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz 2.0 g | ||||||
| 17–32 years old |
Pre- and post-test only |
|||||
| Perennial AR only | ||||||
| Outcomes: | ||||||
| RCT, comparing between two herbal formulae | ||||||
|
Astragalus mongholicus Bunge 6.0 g |
Nasal symptoms of Okuda and co-workers (1984); blood test for IgE, and measurement of E2 and LTC4, and COX smRNA |
|||||
| Others | ||||||
|
Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. 4.0 g | ||||||
|
Citrus reticulate Blanco 2.0 g | ||||||
|
Cimicifuga | ||||||
|
foetida L. 1.0 g Angelica dah0rica fisch. ex Hoffim 2.0 g | ||||||
|
Bupleurum chinense DC 1.0 g | ||||||
|
Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch 4.0 g | ||||||
|
Ziziphus jujube Mill var. inermis Rehd 2.0 g | ||||||
|
Zingiber officinale Rosc 3.0 g | ||||||
| Ping-wei-san: | ||||||
|
Atractylodes lancea Thunb 4.0 g | ||||||
|
Magnolia officinalis Rehd. Et Wils 1.5 g | ||||||
|
Citrus reticulate Blanco 1.0 g | ||||||
|
Zingiber officinale Rosc 0.5 g | ||||||
|
Ziziphus jujube Mill. var. inermis Rdhd 0.5 g | ||||||
|
Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch 1.0 g | ||||||
| Xin-Yi-San |
Yang et al., (2010) [21] |
Yu-ping-feng San: |
Skin test for dust mite, mould and animal dander |
108 (62 and 38 in treatment and placebo control group, respectively) |
3 months treatment (treatment and placebo groups) powders in capsule |
Significant improvements in serum IgE level and nasal symptoms |
| Outcomes: | ||||||
| Multiple allergen simultaneous test, nasal symptoms, nasal airflow resistance, nostril dissection area, and serum titer of IgE | ||||||
| 18–64 years old RCT with placebo controls | ||||||
| Pre- and post-test only | ||||||
|
Saposhnikovia divaricata schischk | ||||||
| Others: | ||||||
|
Rhizome og Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch | ||||||
|
Magnolia Lilifloar desr | ||||||
|
Asarum heterotropoides | ||||||
|
Angelica dahu-rica Benth. Et Hook | ||||||
|
Rhizome of Liqusticum sinense Oliva | ||||||
|
Dried rhizomas of liqusticum Wallichi Franch | ||||||
|
Rhizomas of Cimicifuga foetida L. | ||||||
|
Rhizomas of Akebia quinata Decne | ||||||
| Biminne |
Hu et al., (2002) [18] |
Yu-ping-feng San: |
Assessed by physician and skin test |
58 (26 and 32 for treatment and placebo control group, respectively) 18–65 year old |
Five capsules of herbal extract for 12 weeks and 5 visits |
Non-significant improvement in symptom severity symptom improvements in treatment group and only sneezing was significantly improved |
|
Ledebouriella divaricata 460 g |
Outcomes: |
|||||
|
Astragalus membranaceus 552 g |
Serum IgE, symptom diary with visual analogue scale, quality of life (RQLQ), patient evaluation of symptom improvement, and overall medical evaluation, and level of compliance |
RCT with placebo controls |
Baseline, interim and a few weeks after treatments |
Quality of life was significantly improved |
||
| Others: |
|
One year later treatment was offered to the placebo (wait-list) controls |
||||
|
Rehmannia glutinosa 460 g | ||||||
|
Scutellaria baicalensis 460 g | ||||||
|
Polygonatum sibiricum 368 g | ||||||
|
Ginkgo biloba 460 g | ||||||
|
Epimedium sagittatum 460 g | ||||||
|
Psoralea corylifolia 460 g | ||||||
|
Schisandra chinensis 368 g | ||||||
| Pulp of prunus mume 184 g | ||||||
|
Angelica dahurica 368 g | ||||||
| Chinese herbal medicine |
Xue et al., (2003) [19] |
Yu-ping-feng San: |
Assessed by Western (ENT) and Chinese medicine practitioners, conforming the diagnosis of AR |
55 (28 and 27 for treatment and control group, respectively) |
8 weeks of extract capsules |
Significant improvements in symptom severity scores and quality of life in treatment group in the 8th and 10th week |
|
Astragali, radix | ||||||
| Pre- and post-test and 2 weeks after treatment | ||||||
|
Atractylodis macrofephalae rhizome | ||||||
| 27–54 years old | ||||||
|
Saposhnikoviae, radix |
Outcomes: |
Subjects randomly allocated by computer |
||||
| Others: |
Nasal Symptom Quality of life (RQLQ), amount of medication use and blood tests for IgE, IgA, and IgM |
|||||
|
Xanthii, fructus | ||||||
|
Angelicae Sinensis, radix | ||||||
|
Asari, herba | ||||||
|
Bupleuri, radix | ||||||
|
Cimicifugae, rhizome | ||||||
|
Codonopsis pilosulae, radix | ||||||
|
Chuanxiong, rhizome | ||||||
|
Magnolia, flos | ||||||
|
Menthae, herba | ||||||
|
Citri reticulatae, pericappium | ||||||
|
Plantaginis, semen | ||||||
|
Schisandrae, fructus | ||||||
|
Schizonepetae, herba | ||||||
|
Chebulae, fructus | ||||||
| RCM-102 | Lenon et al., 2012 [16] | Yu-ping-feng San: |
Medical assessment by ENT expert |
95 (47/48) |
8 weeks of treatment – two capsules 3 times per day (treatment and placebo group) |
No significant differences on all outcomes |
| 18–65 years old | ||||||
|
Astragalus membranaceus (Fish.) | ||||||
| Outcomes: | ||||||
| Skin test, symptom severity, quality of life, and blood test for liver and kidney functions | ||||||
|
Saposhnikovia divaricate (Turcz). | ||||||
| Bi-weekly F/U till the end of treatment | ||||||
|
Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Fisch.) | ||||||
| Others: | ||||||
|
Bupleurum Chinense D.C. | ||||||
|
Magnolia Liliflora (Desr.) | ||||||
|
Mentha haplocalyx Briq. | ||||||
|
Schizonepeat Tenuifolia Briq | ||||||
| Scutellaria baicalensis Geogi. |