title: Evidence-based review of oral traditional Chinese medicine compound recipe administration for treating weight drop-induced experimental traumatic brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, a number of studies conducted and published in China have suggested that traditional Chinese medicine compound recipe (TCMCR) may be beneficial in the treatment of experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of TCMCR in TBI model with weight drop method to provide robust evidence on the effects of TCMCR and to determine whether TCMCR can be recommended for routine treatment or considered as a standard treatment for TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified eligible studies by searching five electronic databases on April 1, 2014, and pooled the data using the random-effects model. Results were reported in terms of standardized mean difference (SMD). We also calculated statistical heterogeneity, evaluated the studies' methodological quality and investigated the presence of publication bias.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally, 187 relevant publications were searched from databases, 25 of which met our inclusion criteria. The overall methodological quality of the most studies was poor, and there was evidence of statistical heterogeneity among studies along with small-study effects. Meta-analysis showed statistically significant effects indicating that TCMCR has a beneficial effect on TBI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the limitations, we concluded that TCMCR may reduce brain water content, improve BBB permeability, and decrease TNF-α/NO expression after experimental TBI in terms of overall efficacy. However, our review also indicates that more well-designed and well-reported animal studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrated Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chenxia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrated Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrated Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrated Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
authors.forename: Xin-gui
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, P.R. China. pengweijun1987@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide