Study (country) Design Participants (
) Treatment Control Outcome measures Main findings
Burack et al. 1996 (US) [13 ] Parallel, two arms, Double-blind trial Symptomatic patients infected with HIV with decreased CD4 cells (30) Chinese herbal preparation (IGM-1) for 12 weeks Placebo Symptoms, CD4 cell counts, qulity of life, adverse effects Overall life satisfaction improved in patients treated with herbs, no difference in CD4 count and symptom severity
Sangkitporn et al. 2005 (Thailand) [14 ] Muticentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Adults with HIV-1 infection (60) Chinese herbal compound (SH) plus ZDV and ddC for 24 weeks Placebo plus ZDV and ddc for 24 weeks HIV RNA, CD4 counts, adverse effects Significant decrease in HIV RNA levels in SH group than placebo without serious adverse events
Shi and Peng 2003 (China) [15 ] Parallel, two arms, Double-blind trial Adult patients infected with HIV and AIDS (36) Qiankunning (extracts from 14 herbs) for 7 months Placebo CD4 cell counts, viral loads, adverse effects Significant decrease in HIV RNA levels in herb group than placebo. Use of herbs was related to gastroenterological adverse effects.
Wang et al. 2006 (China) [16 ] Parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Patients infected with HIV and AIDS (72) Chinese herbal preparation ZY-4 for 6 months Placebo CD4 cell counts, viral loads, symptom, body weight, adverse effects Significant increase of CD4 counts in ZY-4, but not significant difference on symptoms, weight or viral load between groups
Weber et al. 1999 (Switzerland) [17 ] Parallel, two arms, Double-blind trial Adults infected with HIV with decreased CD4 cells (68) Chinese herbs (35 herbs) for 6 months Placebo AIDS event, CD4 cell counts, viral load, quality of life, adverse effects No positive findings for the outcome and herbs associated with adverse effects
Wang et al. 2008 (China) [18 ] Parallel, two arms, placebo-controlled Double-blind trial adults infected with HIV, received HAART therapy for 0.5–1 year (100) Chinese herbal preparation Aining Granule (AG) plus d4T, ddI and NVP for 11 months placebo plus d4T, ddI and NVP for 11 months Symptoms, CD4 cell counts, viral loads, CD8, IL-2, IL-4, IFN-
, adverse effects Significant decrease of CD4 counts in placebo group, improvement of symptoms of anepithymia, diarrhea and nausea, but not significant difference on viral load, CD8, IL-2,4 between groups
Jiang et al. 2009 (China) [19 ] Parallel, two arms, controlled open label trial Patients who are HIV infection and AIDS with oral candidiasis symptoms (80) Chinese herbal preparation XiaoMi Granule (XMG) plus Nystatin for external use for 2 weeks Nystatin for 2 weeks Symptoms of oral candidiasis, adverse effects Significant improvement of symptoms of oral candidiasis in herb group, no adverse event was found
Jiang et al. 2011 (China) [20 ] Parallel, double-blind, double dummy trial Patients who are HIV infection and AIDS with leukopenia symptoms (116) Chinese herbal preparation Jingyuankang Capsule (JC) plus AZT, ddI, NVP and analogue Leucogen Tablets for 6 months Leucogen Tablets plus AZT, ddI, NVP and analogue JC Peripheral leukocytes, adverse effects Significant increase of peripheral leukocytes without serious adverse events
Xu et al. 2011 (China) [21 ] Parallel, double-blind, double dummy trial Patients with AIDS and diarrhea (158) Chinese herbal preparation Xielikang Capsule (XC) plus analogue loperamide for 14 days Loperamide plus analogue XC for 14 days Symptoms of diarrhea, adverse effects Improvement of symptom of diarrhea in herb group
Xie et al. 2008 (China) [22 ] Parallel, two arms, placebo-controlled Single-blind trial Patients infected with HIV and AIDS with CD4 250–600 cells/mm3 without HAART therapy (102) Aikang Capsule (AC) for 6 months Placebo for 6 months CD4 cell counts No significant difference between groups. Shao 2008 (China) [23 ] Parallel, two arms, placebo-controlled Double-blind trial Patients infected with HIV and AIDS Without HAART therapy (176) Tangcao Tablets (TT) for 6 months Placebo for 6 months CD4 cell counts, viral loads, symptom, body weight, adverse effects Significant increase of CD4 counts, CD4/CD8 and weight in herb group, significant decrease of viral load in placebo group, improvement of symptoms in herb group.