First author [ref.] | Design and quality# | Participants | Intervention and daily dose | Treatment duration/follow-up period days | |||
R/A¶ | Diagnosis | Age range yrs | Experimental group+ | Control group | |||
Cheng 18 | Single-blind parallel (1) | 62/62 (31, 31) | CB | 37–63 | Ke Chuan Ping decoction, 170 g§, p.o. | Qing Jin Hua Tan decoction, 118 g§, p.o. | 12/12 |
Chen 19 | Open parallel (1) | 400/400 (300, 100) | CB | 1–60 | 13-Herb anti-cough–dyspnoea decoction, 118 g§, p.o. | Ephedra-almond decoction, 111 g§, p.o. | 10/10 |
Meyer-Wegener 17 | Double-blind parallel (3) | 99/94 (49, 48) | CB | 25–70 | Prospan® drops, 60–100 drops, p.o., and placebo tablets, three tablets (dosage not specified), p.o. | Ambroxol tablets, three tablets (dosage not specified) p.o.; and placebo solution, 60–100 drops, p.o. | 28/28 |
Wei 12 | Open parallel (1) | 53/53 (33, 20) | CB | 52–71 | Danshen injection, 20 mL in 250 mL 5% glucose, i.v. and ciprofloxacin, 0.4 g in 200 mL, i.v.; dexamethasone, 10 mg in 2 mL, i.v. for 3 days only; aminophylline, 0.8g, p.o. | Ciprofloxacin, 0.4 g in 200 mL i.v.; dexamethasone, 10 mg in 2 mL i.v. for 3 days only; aminophylline, 0.8 g, p.o. | 10/10 |
Xu 20 | Open parallel (1) | 102/102 (72, 30) | COPD | 34–73 | Yiqi Mianyi granule, 60 g, p.o. | Zhenqi fuzheng granule, 30 g, p.o. | 30/30 |
Gulyas 21 | Double-blind cross-over (3) | 27/25 (25, 25) | COPD | 10–16 | Prospan® syrup 15 mL (105 mg dried extract), and placebo drops | Prospan® drops, 60 drops (42 mg dried extract) and placebo syrup | 10/10 |
Zhao 13 | Open parallel (1) | 82/82 (41, 41) | CB | 42–80 | Jinshui Liujin patent decoction, 15 mL, p.o. and penicillin 28–32 million units i.v. for 7 days in severe cases (n = 12) | Penicillin ∼28–32 million units i.v. for 7 days; compound ammonium chloride decoction, 15 mL, p.o. | 12/12 |
Fang 14 | Open parallel (1) | 38/38 (20, 18) | COPD | 66.4±6.2 | Shen Mai injection (100 mL in 500 mL 5% glucose, i.v.) and conventional treatment: antitussive, bronchodilator, antibiotics and expectorant (daily dosage not specified) | Conventional treatment: antitussive, bronchodilator, antibiotics and expectorant (daily dosage not specified) | 14/14 |
Gross 9 | Double-blind parallel (5) | 100/92 (51, 41) | COPD | 23–80 | Ginseng extract capsules (Ginsana®; 200 mg) and “current medical treatment continued”, p.o. | Placebo capsules and “current medical treatment continued” p.o. | 90/90 |
Hauke 15 | Double-blind parallel (3) | 53/52 (25, 27) | AECB | <75 | Esberitox® N, 8.8 mL (3.8 mL alcoholic–aqueous extract) and macrolide antibiotic (mainly azithromycin), 500 mg for the first day, and then 250 mg for further 4 days p.o. | Placebo solution and macrolide antibiotic (mainly azithromycin), 500 mg for the first day and then 250 mg for further 4 days p.o. | 28/90 |
Mao 22 | Double-blind parallel (2) | 120/116 (60, 60) | AECB | 18–70 | Kesuning granule, 24 g, p.o. and placebo A, 21 g, p.o. | Jinbei Tankeqing granule, 21 g, p.o. and placebo B, 24 g, p.o. | 6/6 |
Liu 23 | Open parallel (1) | 62/62 (31, 31) | CB remission | 23–74 | Bufei Keli granule, 12 g, p.o. | Yupingfeng Keli granule, 15 g, p.o. | 30/365 |
Wu 24 | Open parallel (3) | 65/52 (34, 31) | COPD | 46–74 | Gubenhuatanquyu decoction, 180 g§, p.o. | Simple Buyiguben decoction, 144 g§, p.o. | 90/90 |
Huang 16 | Open parallel (2) | 84/84 (44, 40) | AECB | 46–69 | Jiawei Yupingfeng decoction 82 g§ and cephradine 6 g, i.v.; kfloxacin 0.2 g i.v.; aminophylline, 0.6 g, p.o.; bromhexine, 48 mg, p.o. | Cephradine, 6 g i.v.; kfloxacin, 0.2 g i.v.; aminophylline, 0.6 g, p.o.; bromhexine, 48 mg, p.o. | 14/14 |
Data are presented as range or mean±sd unless otherwise stated. R: number of patients randomised; A: number of patients analysed; CB: chronic bronchitis; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; AECB: acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis. #: The Jadad score (maximum of five points) is given in parentheses; ¶: test, control is given in parentheses; +: details of all named herbal medicines are given in the Appendix; §: weight of dried raw herbal mixture.