title: Effect of Dahuang zhechong formula on liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dahuang zhechong formula has been used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, but its efficacy on the liver fibrosis is conflicting. We performed a meta-analysis to quantitatively investigate the efficacy of Dahuang zhechong formula as an adjunctive therapy treatment for liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, VIP database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang database through January 2014. Only randomized controlled trials investigating Dahuang zhechong formula as an adjunctive therapy treatment for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B were selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen trials involving 1212 patients were included. Dahuang zhechong formula reduced serum hyaluronic acid level (standardized mean difference [SMD]=-1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.72 to -0.83), type-III procollagen level (SMD=-1.71; 95%CI: -2.34 to -1.09), type-IV collagen level (SMD=-1.06; 95%CI: -1.41 to -0.70), and laminin level (SMD=-0.75; 95%CI: -0.89 to -0.62). In particular, subgroup analyses showed that patients who did not receive anti-viral agents have achieved a greater reduction in serum fibrosis markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dahuang zhechong formula appears to reduce serum biomarkers of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. However, robust conclusions cannot be reached due to the methodological flaws of the included trials.
authors: Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People's Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, PR China.
authors: Feifei
authors: F
authors: Wei
authors: Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People's Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, PR China.
authors: Yakun
authors: Y
authors: Lang
authors: Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People's Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, PR China.
authors: Dandan
authors: D
authors: Gong
authors: Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People's Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, PR China. Electronic address: jszjfanyu@163.com.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Fan
mesh_terms: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: C521634:Dahuang Zhechong pill; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Dahuang zhechong pill; Hepatitis B; Herbal medicine; Liver fibrosis; Meta-analysis