Table 2.

Asthma and acupuncture point application therapies.

Author	Number and range of age		Intervention (herbal medicine and acupoints) and duration		Outcomes	Adverse events (experimental)	Jadad score
	Experimental	Control	Experimental	Control
Cai 2008 [17]	40/2–12	40/2–12	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Ma Huang, Tan Xiang EX-B1, BL20, BL23, GV14, BL13	BCG polysaccharide and nucleic acid injection, twice a week, for three months	Symptom rating scale, IL-4, IFN-γ	No	2
Mou et al. 2009 [25]	91/18–65	55/18–65	San-Fu-Tie, for three consecutive years Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Yan Hu Suo, Sheng Jiang, Rou Gui, Huang Qi, Dang Shen, Shan Yao, Gan Cao, Bing Pian BL13, EX-B1, CV17, CV22, LU1	Oral preparation of traditional Chinese medicine, three months in one year, for three consecutive years	Efficacy evaluation, symptom rating scale	Not mentioned	2
Cai et al. 2010 [26]	60/3–14	60/3–14	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Ma Huang, Tan Xiang EX-B1, BL20, BL23, GV14, BL13	PBO, three times a year, for one year EX-B1, BL20, BL23, GV14, BL13	Symptom rating scale, safety assessment	No	4
Li and Yuan 2010 [27]	30/3–8.2	30/3.2–8.5	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Ma Huang, Xi Xin, Sheng Jiang, Jiang Can, Feng Mi BL13, CV17, CV22, BL17	BCG Polysaccharide and nucleic acid injection, once every other day, for one month	Efficacy evaluation, the average number of cold, IgA, IgG, IgM	One patient had mild skin allergies	4
Zhang 2010 [28]	30/18–70	30/18–70	San-Fu-Tie, for three consecutive years Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Yan Hu Suo BL13, EX-B1, BL20, CV4	Ketotifen, July to September each year, for three consecutive years	Efficacy evaluation	Not mentioned	2
Tao 2012 [29]	60/3–14	60/3–14	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Ma Huang, Tan Xiang BL23, GV14, BL13, EX-B1, BL20	PBO, three times a year, for one year BL23, GV14, BL13, EX-B1, BL20	Symptom rating scale	No	4
Cui 2012 [20]	28/2–14	28/2–14	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Wu Zhu Yu, Sheng Jiang, Su Zi, She Xiang BL13, BL12, BL43	Pulmicort, for one year	Symptom rating scale, IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM	Two patients had local swelling and blisters	2
Li 2012 [30]	60/3–14	60/3–14	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Ma Huang, Tan Xiang BL23, GV14, BL13, EX-B1, BL20	PBO, three times a year, for one year BL23, GV14, BL13, EX-B1, BL20	Symptom rating scale, safety assessment	No	4
Zhu and Chen 2012 [31]	36/18–65	36/19–63	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Yan Hu Suo, Sheng Jiang, Ma Huang, Ban Xia BL13, CV17, CV22, LU1, GV14, BL17, EX-HN15, BL12	Salbutamol, withdrawal when symptomatic relief occurs	Efficacy evaluation	Not mentioned	1
You et al. 2012 [32]	50/3–80	30/5–81	San-Fu-Tie, for three consecutive years Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Sheng Jiang, Huang Qi BL12, BL13, EX-B1, BL20, CV4, BL23	Yupingfeng granules, thirty days during dog days every year, for three consecutive years	Efficacy evaluation	Not mentioned	2
Chen et al. 2013 [33]	56/3–14	30/2.8–14	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Yan Hu Suo, Sheng Jiang, Su Zi BL13, BL15, BL17	Yupingfeng granules, for thirty days during dog days, for one year	Efficacy evaluation, IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM	Not mentioned	2
Z. P. Zhang and H. Y. Zhang 2013 [34]	60/18–65	60/18–65	San-Fu-Tie, for three consecutive years Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Wu Zhu Yu BL13, BL20, GV14, BL23, CV22, BL12	Acupuncture therapy, thirty days during dog days every year, for three consecutive years BL13, BL20, GV14, BL23, CV22, BL12	Efficacy evaluation	Not mentioned	2
Hu 2014 [35]	50/5–12	50/5–12	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Yan Hu Suo BL13, BL20, GV14, BL11	Salmeterol xinafoate and fluticasone propionate powder for inhalation, for one year	Attack frequency, FEV1, FVC, PEFR	Not mentioned	2
Shi and Zhao 2014 [36]	46/3–14	46/2.8–14	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Xi Xin, Gan Sui, Yan Hu Suo, Sheng Jiang, Fang Feng, Bing Pian BL13, BL15, BL17	PBO, three times a year, for one year BL13, BL15, BL17	Efficacy evaluation, FEV1, PEF, FVC, FEV1/FVC, EOS	Not mentioned	5
Chen 2014 [37]	70/4–12	70/4–12	San-Fu-Tie, for one year Bai Jie Zi, Ma Huang, Tan Xiang BL13, BL20, GV14, BL23, EX-B1	BCG polysaccharide and nucleic acid injection, twice a week, for three months	Symptom rating scale, IL-4, IFN-γ	Not mentioned	2

Bai Jie Zi, Semen Sinapis Albae; Xi Xin, Herba Asari; Gan Sui, Radix Kansui; Yan Hu Suo, Rhizoma Corydalis; Sheng Jiang, Rhizome Zingiberis Recens; Ban Xia, Rhizoma Pinelliae; Ma Huang, Herba Ephedrae; Tan Xiang, Lignum Santali Albi; Rou Gui, Cortex Cinnamomi; Huang Qi, Radix Astragali; Dang Shen, Radix Codonopsis; Shan Yao, Rhizoma Dioscoreae; Gan Cao, Radix Glycyrrhizae; Bing Pian, Borneolum Syntheticum; Jiang Can, Bombyx Batryticatus; Feng Mi, Mel; Wu Zhu Yu, Fructus Evodiae; Su Zi, Fructus Perillae; She Xiang, Moschus; Fang Feng, Radix Saposhnikoviae.

BCG, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin; IL-4, interleukin-4; IFN-γ, interferon-γ; PBO, placebo; FEV₁, Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second; FVC, Forced Vital Capacity; PEFR, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; PEF, Peak Expiratory Flow; EOS, eosinophils; WBC, white blood cell; NEUT, neutrophil; LYM, lymphocyte; MONO, monocyte; RBC, red blood cell; HGB, hemoglobin; PLT, blood platelet.

BL13, Feishu; BL43, Gaohuang; EX-HN15, Bailao; CV17, Danzhong; EX-B1, Dingchuan; GV14, Dazhui; BL20, Pishu; BL12, Fengmen; BL23, Shenshu; PC6, Neiguan; LI4, Hegu; ST36, Zusanli; CV22, Tiantu; LU1, Zhongfu; BL17, Geshu; CV4, Guanyuan; BL15, Xinshu; BL11, Dazhu.