Compound salvia pellet, a traditional Chinese medicine, for the treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris compared with nitrates: a meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Compound salvia pellet (CSP), consisting of active herbal ingredients extracted from Danshen (salvia miltiorrhiza), Sanqi (panax notoginseng), and Borneol (Cinnamomum camphora), is taken most frequently by patients with angina pectoris in China. To determine the efficacy and safety of CSP for the treatment of stable angina pectoris (SAP), a meta-analysis was undertaken.


METHODS
An extensive search including MEDLINE, EMBASE, BA, Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), and Chinese Cochrane Centre Controlled Trials Register from 1994 to 2004 was performed. Data were extracted independently from the included trials by two reviewers. Statistical software (RevMan 4.1) provided by the Cochrane Collaboration was applied.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n=3722), regardless of language or publication status, were identified. Generally, the methodological quality of the trials, assessed by the Jadad scale, was low, except for one with 3 points. Statistical pooling of the results showed that, compared with nitrates, CSP treatment had significant effect on the improvement of angina symptoms (RR=1.13, 95%CI=[1.07, 1.20]), showed greater increased effect on the improvement of electrocardiogram (ECG) results (RR=1.39, 95%CI=[1.28, 1.50]), and the percentage of patients with adverse events was significantly decreased in the treatment of CSP in comparison with nitrates (2.4% vs. 29.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
CSP has significant effect on the improvement of angina symptoms and ECG results with few adverse events. However, the methodological quality of clinical trials with CSP for SAP needs to be improved, and the outcome measures should include mortality, quality of life, and other end-points.
Wang
Gang
G
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, #37 Guoxue Street, Chengdu 610-041, P. R. China.
Wang
Lei
L
Xiong
Ze-Yu
ZY
Mao
Bing
B
Li
Ting-Qian
TQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002681:China; D027423:Cinnamomum camphora / Q000737:chemistry; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009566:Nitrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D010618:Phenanthrolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009566:Nitrates; D010618:Phenanthrolines; D010936:Plant Extracts; C028972:dan-shen root extract