Journal of ethnopharmacology
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Review Meta Analysis
Meta-analysis of the clinical effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine formula Chaihu-Shugan-San in depression.
Depression is a psychiatric disorder. Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula suggested in the treatment of depression, but its effectiveness and safety are not well defined. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of CSS in depression therapy. ⋯ The present work supported that CSS was effective and safe in treating depressed patients. More full-scale randomized clinical trials with reliable designs are recommended to further evaluate the clinical benefit and long-term effectiveness of CSS for the treatment of depression.
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Review Historical Article
An integrative approach of linking traditional Chinese medicine pattern classification and biomedicine diagnosis.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a medical system with over 3000 years of continuous practice experience and refinement through treatment observations. The TCM pattern classification (also defined as Syndrome or Zheng differentiation) and treatment of ill health is the basis and the key concept of the TCM theory. All diagnostic and therapeutic methods in TCM are based on the differentiation of TCM pattern. ⋯ Pattern classification is often used as a guideline in disease classification in TCM practice and has been recently incorporated with biomedical diagnosis, resulting in the increasing research interest of TCM pattern among various disciplines of integrative medicine. This paper describes the historical evolution on the integration of the TCM pattern classification and disease diagnosis in biomedicine, the methodology of pattern classification for diseases, efficacy of TCM practice with integration of TCM pattern classification and biomedical disease diagnosis, and the biological basis of TCM pattern. TCM pattern classification, which may lead to new findings in biological sciences, was also discussed.