title: Meta-analysis of traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: Traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) has been found effective for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) based on its unique theory system and substantial herb remedies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficiency and safety of one of the TCM, Danshen in the treatment of NAFLD. Seven English and Chinese databases were searched from inceptions to December 2015. RCTs which compared Danshen with placebo in adult patients with NAFLD were included. Totally, 8 RCTs with a total of 800 patients were identified. The results showed that compared with placebo, Danshen had increased total effectiveness rate, lower level of ALT, AST, TC and TG, LDL and higher level of liver/spleen computed tomography ratio. The present meta-analysis suggests that Danshen may have positive effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Future multicenter large-sample randomized clinical trials are still needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of our study.
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China zhengguoyinshh@sina.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University Department of Ophthalmology Shanghai China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Jiujiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jiujiang China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D029001:Herbal Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000009:adverse effects; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids