Table 2.

Review of case reports.

First author (year)	Country	Sex	Age	Duration of disease	Diagnosed by	Herbal medicine	Treatment duration	Other intervention	Outcomes	Significant finding
Wu (1995) [13]	China	M	37	2 y	EMG	Maqianzi powder Huangqiguizhiwuwutang Siwutang	No mention	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Improving muscle strength No recurrence after cure
Kim et al. (2000) [14]	Korea	F	40	8 m	EMG NCS MRI	Shiquandabutang Buzhongyiqitang Reduohanshaotang Bawutang Bawutangjiawei	8 m	Riluzole	Clinical symptoms ALSFRS	Reducing dependence on a ventilator
Park et al. (2001) [15]	Korea	F	60	6 m	EMG MRI	Shaoyaogancaotangjiawei Sijunzi + lizhongtangjiawei	2 m	Acupuncture Exercise Riluzole	Clinical symptoms ALSFRS Body weight	Improving dysphagia, lalopathy, and hypotonia
Kim et al. (2004) [16]	Korea	F	50	8 m	EMG MRI	Jiaweixiaoyaosan Ziyindabuwanjiawei	1 m	Riluzole Acupuncture Exercise	Clinical symptoms ALSFRS	Improving facial flushing and sweating
Yeon et al. (2010) [17]	Korea	M	32	2 y	EMG MRI	Combination of several herbal medicines∗	1 m	Acupuncture Burning Acupuncture Electroacupuncture Cupping therapy Physical therapy	Clinical symptoms K-ODI K-ALSFRS-R	Improving low back pain, K-ODI scores, and K-ALSFRS-R scores
Wang et al. (2010) [18]	China	M	54	2 y	EMG	Buzhongyiqitangjiajian Qiangjijianli oral liquid	8 m	Huangqi injection Moxibustion	Clinical symptoms	Improving dysphagia, muscle strength, and appetite
Liang et al. (2012) [19]	China	F	48	3 y	EMG	Huangqiguizhiwuwutang	3 m	Acupuncture	Clinical symptoms MRC muscle scale	Improving gait, dizziness, and muscle strength
Jeong et al. (2013) [20]	Korea	M	61	2 y	EMG Genetic testing	Wugongtang Wujiapitang Mazirensan	3 m	Trihexyphenidyl (stopped) Acupuncture pharmacopuncture	Clinical symptoms	Decreasing salivation
Jeong et al. (2013) [21]	Korea	M	53	2 y 3 m	EMG Several tests	Dihuangyinzi Wugongtang Wugongtangjiawei Wujiapitang Mazirensan	9m	Acupuncture Pharmacopuncture	Body weight BMI SNAQ score	Increasing body weight, BMI, and SNAQ score
Lee et al. (2014) [22]	Korea	M	56	2 y	EMG MRI	Chungpajeongami Dihuangyinzi Wugongtang Wugongtangjiawei Wujiapitang Dansengcangzhutang Shaoyaogancaotang Dansengcangzhutianmagancaotang	3 y	Acupuncture Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture Bee-venom pharmacopuncture Noninvasive BIPAP ventilator	SpO2 EtCO2 Vte	Maintaining SpO2, EtCO2, and Vte
Jo et al. (2014) [23]	Korea	M	49	20 m	No mention	Shiquandabutang	5 m	Acupuncture Physical therapy Manual therapy	Clinical symptoms K-ALSFRS-R	Maintaining respiratory function and speech
Sun and Xu (2014) [24]	China	M	42	2 y	EMG NCS	Buzhongyiqitangjiajian	2 m	Electroacupuncture	Clinical symptoms	Reducing fatigue, stomach discomfort, and constipation Improving muscle strength and mental state Gaining weight
Zhong et al. (2014) [25]	China	M	57	1 y	EMG	Combination of several herbal medicines∗	1 y	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Improving muscle strength
Lu and Zhao (2015) [26]	China	F	No mention	1 y	EMG MRI	Bushenkangshuaipian Combination of several herbal medicines∗∗	3 w	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Improving mental state, appetite, and muscle strength Reducing fatigue
Kim et al. (2016) [27]	Korea	F	52	6 y	EMG	Jianghuodihuangtangjiajian Wujiapizhuangjitangjiawei	11 d	Acupuncture	GAS Walking distance K-ALSFRS-R	Improving the GAS of the weakness of the upper and lower extremities Increasing walking distance
Cha et al. (2016) [28]	Korea	M	43	3 y	EMG MRI	Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract Jiaweishaoyaogancaofuzitang	3 m	Acupuncture Pharmacopuncture	CK level ALSFRS-R MRC muscle scale	Decreasing CK levels No change in the score of the MRC muscle scale
Qiu et al. (2016) [29]	China	F	41	3 y	El Escorial criteria	Dihuangyinzi	12 y	Riluzole (stopped after 1 month)	Clinical symptoms	Not requiring permanent continuous ventilator Improving choking on liquids
Cao et al. (2017) [30]	China	M	47	2 y	No mention	Liuweidihuangwan + Buzhongyiqitangjiajian	6 w	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Reducing sweating, hot flash, muscle fibrillation, improving muscle strength, appetite, and sleep
Liu et al. (2018) [31]	China	M	64	2 y	EMG	Liuweidihuangtang + Bazhentangjiajian	2 m	Acupuncture	Clinical symptoms	Improving weakness of the upper limbs and tongue stiffness

^∗ Details are not specified. ^∗∗Astragali Radix, Codonopsis Pilosulae Radix, Achyranthis Radix, Eucommiae Cortex, Homalomenae Rhizoma, Cnidii Rhizoma, Psoraleae Semen, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, Leonuri Herba, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Ostreae Testa. M, male; F, female; d, day(s); w, week(s); m, month(s); y, year(s); EMG, electromyography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NCS, nerve conduction study; ALSFRS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale; ALSFRS-R, ALSFRS-Revised; K-ALSFRS-R, Korean-ALSFRS-R; K-ODI, Korean Oswestry Disability Index; MRC, Medical Research Council; SNAQ, Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire; GAS, global assessment scale; BMI, body mass index; CK, creatine kinase; SpO2, saturation by pulse oximetry; EtCo2, =end-tidal CO₂ concentration; and Vte, exhaled tidal volume.