Journal of ethnopharmacology
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Review Comparative Study
Comparison of effectiveness and safety between granules and decoction of Chinese herbal medicine: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.
The clinical use of Chinese herbal medicine granules is gradually increasing. However, there is still no systematic review comparing the effectiveness and safety of granules with the more traditional method of herbal decoctions. ⋯ Due to the poor methodological quality of most of the included trials, it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion whether both Chinese herbal medicine granules and decoctions have the same degree of effectiveness and safety in clinical practice, but this preliminary evidence supports the continued use of granules in clinical practice and research. Standardization of granules and further more rigorous pharmacological, toxicological and clinical studies are needed to demonstrate the equivalence with decoctions.
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Acupuncture is an intrinsic part of traditional Chinese medicine. The current understanding of the acupuncture meridian system, acupoints and the potential utilizing Omics technologies are summarized in this review. ⋯ This review suggest that disease-oriented studies using the approach of multi-indexed high-throughput technologies and systems biology analyses will be a preferred strategy for future acupuncture/moxibustion research.
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Review Comparative Study
Future development of global regulations of Chinese herbal products.
GP-TCM is the first EU-funded Coordination Action consortium dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. One of the key deliverables of the Work Package 7 in GP-TCM was to investigate information of the existing requirements for registration of TCM products listed by global regulatory bodies. The paper aims to collate data and draw comparison of these regulations. Case studies are also presented to illustrate the problems involved in registering TCM products in different regions worldwide. ⋯ The regulatory issues for registration of herbal products are complicated among the countries and regions worldwide. The information summarised in the text is for reference only. Some regulations which are presented in this review are still in legislation process and may change in due course. Before taking any regulatory action, readers are advised to consult current official legislation and guidance and/or to seek appropriate professional advice. The lessons learnt from global regulation of TCM will provide valuable insights for regulation of other traditional medicine such as Ayurveda and Unani medicine, as well as other forms of indigenous medicine. The WHO is well placed to co-ordinate a consultation process with the aim of putting forward suggestions for harmonisation to key regulatory agencies.
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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including Traditional Chinese Medicine drugs (TCM drugs), has been playing a very important role in health protection and disease control for thousands of years in China. Relying on natural products, mainly of herbal origin, used either as raw materials for decoction, as prepared herbal medicines or as formulated traditional medicines, TCM is still widely accepted by Chinese people, especially for chronic diseases treatment. This extensive use warrants safety measures and so TCM drug safety monitoring and risk management are becoming increasingly important tasks for the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). ⋯ The model of safety monitoring and risk management of TCM drugs is still under exploration. Indeed, the characteristics and risk factors associated with these drugs require both proper understanding and control of the risk by strengthening standardization of clinical applications, basic science research, quality control in manufacturing, exploration of the actives monitoring methodology and enhancement of international communication and cooperation.
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Studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like those of other systems of traditional medicine (TM), are very variable in their quality, content and focus, resulting in issues around their acceptability to the global scientific community. In an attempt to address these issues, an European Union funded FP7 consortium, composed of both Chinese and European scientists and named "Good practice in traditional Chinese medicine" (GP-TCM), has devised a series of guidelines and technical notes to facilitate good practice in collecting, assessing and publishing TCM literature as well as highlighting the scope of information that should be in future publications on TMs. This paper summarises these guidelines, together with what has been learned through GP-TCM collaborations, focusing on some common problems and proposing solutions. The recommendations also provide a template for the evaluation of other types of traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, Kampo and Unani. ⋯ Good quality, peer-reviewed literature is crucial in maintaining the integrity and the reputation of the herbal scientific community and promoting good research in TCM. These guidelines provide a clear starting point for this important endeavour. They also provide a platform for adaptation, as appropriate, to other systems of traditional medicine.