Chinese medicinal herbs for acute bronchitis

Advancing herbal medicine: enhancing product quality and safety through robust quality control practices

This manuscript provides an in-depth review of the significance of quality control in herbal medication products, focusing on its role in maintaining efficiency and safety. With a historical foundation in traditional medicine systems, herbal remedies have gained widespread popularity as natural alternatives to conventional treatments. However, the increasing demand for these products necessitates stringent quality control measures to ensure consistency and safety. This comprehensive review explores the importance of quality control methods in monitoring various aspects of herbal product development, manufacturing, and distribution. Emphasizing the need for standardized processes, the manuscript delves into the detection and prevention of contaminants, the authentication of herbal ingredients, and the adherence to regulatory standards. Additionally, it highlights the integration of traditional knowledge and modern scientific approaches in achieving optimal quality control outcomes. By emphasizing the role of quality control in herbal medicine, this manuscript contributes to promoting consumer trust, safeguarding public health, and fostering the responsible use of herbal medication products.

Pilot study of the use of Yin Qiao San in children with conventional antipyretic hypersensitivity

BACKGROUND

Children with a diagnosis of cross-reactive hypersensitivity to both paracetamol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are limited in their choice of antipyretics.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a Chinese proprietary medicine, Yin Qiao San (YQS), for fever relief.

METHODS

A single centre, open label, prospective clinical trial exploring the tolerability and feasibility of using YQS for fever relief in children who are unable to use conventional antipyretic medications. Children between 1-18 years of age with hypersensitivity to multiple antipyretics were recruited. Eligible participants underwent an oral provocation test with YQS. Children who passed the oral provocation test were instructed to take a prescribed dose of YQS when the temperature was >38.0℃ and continued till the fever settled. Time taken for fever resolution and any adverse events were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 21 children, mean age 10.7 years, had a diagnosis of paracetamol and ibuprofen hypersensitivity. All except one patient successfully tolerated an oral challenge of YQS. Of the 88 doses of YQS taken for fever over 38.0℃, 16 (18%) had documented temperature reduction 2 hours after ingestion and 30 (34%) had documented temperature reduction 4 hours after ingestion. There were 2 reports of urticaria after YQS use which were attributed to flare of recurrent spontaneous urticaria during the illness. None of the patients developed symptoms of circulatory compromise or respiratory distress.

CONCLUSION

YQS is generally well tolerated in patients with paracetamol and ibuprofen hypersensitivity.

Chinese medicinal herbs for acute bronchitis

BACKGROUND

Acute bronchitis is one of the most common diagnoses made by primary care physicians. It is traditionally treated with antibiotics (although the evidence for their effectiveness is weak, and modest at best) and other even less effective treatments. Chinese medicinal herbs have also been used as a treatment.

OBJECTIVES

This review aimed to summarise the existing evidence on the comparative effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs for treating uncomplicated acute bronchitis.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 4) which includes the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register, MEDLINE (1966 to 19 September 19, 2011), EMBASE (1988 to 19 September 2011) and CNKI and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) (1980 to 19 September, 2011).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Chinese medicinal herbs with placebo, antibiotics or other Western medicines for the treatment of uncomplicated acute bronchitis.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

At least two review authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality.

MAIN RESULTS

In this updated review, 74 studies involving 6877 participants were reported as RCTs by the study authors. None of them met the inclusion criteria for this review. Out of the 74 trials, we identified 39 as non-RCTs and 35 compared different Chinese herbal medicines in the intervention and control groups.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is insufficient quality data to recommend the routine use of Chinese herbs for acute bronchitis. Trial design limitations of the individual studies meant that we could not draw any conclusions about the benefits of Chinese herbs for acute bronchitis. In addition, the safety of Chinese herbs is unknown due to the lack of toxicological evidence for these herbs, although adverse events were reported in some case reports.

Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections

AIMS

To review the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews for the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herbs for treating acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) and to discuss the limitations of current clinical trials of TCM.

FINDINGS

Evidence from six Cochrane systematic reviews was weak owing to the lack of high-quality TCM trials. Limitations were usually due to biases that influenced the validity of results.

CONCLUSIONS

TCM is widely used for treating ARTIs. However, none of the identified studies has been well designed or conducted. In this overview, we suggest that clinical trials of TCM for ARTIs need to be re-run in accordance with internationally recognized standards.