Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Review Article

Traditional East Asian Herbal Medicine for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Scoping Review

Table 2

Review of case reports.


First author (year)	Country	Sex	Age	Duration of disease	Diagnosed by	Herbal medicine	Treatment duration	Other intervention	Outcomes	Significant finding

Wu (1995) [13]	China	M	37	2 y	EMG	Maqianzi powder Huangqiguizhiwuwutang Siwutang	No mention	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Improving muscle strength No recurrence after cure
Kim et al. (2000) [14]	Korea	F	40	8 m	EMG NCS MRI	Shiquandabutang Buzhongyiqitang Reduohanshaotang Bawutang Bawutangjiawei	8 m	Riluzole	Clinical symptoms ALSFRS	Reducing dependence on a ventilator
Park et al. (2001) [15]	Korea	F	60	6 m	EMG MRI	Shaoyaogancaotangjiawei Sijunzi + lizhongtangjiawei	2 m	Acupuncture Exercise Riluzole	Clinical symptoms ALSFRS Body weight	Improving dysphagia, lalopathy, and hypotonia
Kim et al. (2004) [16]	Korea	F	50	8 m	EMG MRI	Jiaweixiaoyaosan Ziyindabuwanjiawei	1 m	Riluzole Acupuncture Exercise	Clinical symptoms ALSFRS	Improving facial flushing and sweating
Yeon et al. (2010) [17]	Korea	M	32	2 y	EMG MRI	Combination of several herbal medicines	1 m	Acupuncture Burning Acupuncture Electroacupuncture Cupping therapy Physical therapy	Clinical symptoms K-ODI K-ALSFRS-R	Improving low back pain, K-ODI scores, and K-ALSFRS-R scores
Wang et al. (2010) [18]	China	M	54	2 y	EMG	Buzhongyiqitangjiajian Qiangjijianli oral liquid	8 m	Huangqi injection Moxibustion	Clinical symptoms	Improving dysphagia, muscle strength, and appetite
Liang et al. (2012) [19]	China	F	48	3 y	EMG	Huangqiguizhiwuwutang	3 m	Acupuncture	Clinical symptoms MRC muscle scale	Improving gait, dizziness, and muscle strength
Jeong et al. (2013) [20]	Korea	M	61	2 y	EMG Genetic testing	Wugongtang Wujiapitang Mazirensan	3 m	Trihexyphenidyl (stopped) Acupuncture pharmacopuncture	Clinical symptoms	Decreasing salivation
Jeong et al. (2013) [21]	Korea	M	53	2 y 3 m	EMG Several tests	Dihuangyinzi Wugongtang Wugongtangjiawei Wujiapitang Mazirensan	9m	Acupuncture Pharmacopuncture	Body weight BMI SNAQ score	Increasing body weight, BMI, and SNAQ score
Lee et al. (2014) [22]	Korea	M	56	2 y	EMG MRI	Chungpajeongami Dihuangyinzi Wugongtang Wugongtangjiawei Wujiapitang Dansengcangzhutang Shaoyaogancaotang Dansengcangzhutianmagancaotang	3 y	Acupuncture Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture Bee-venom pharmacopuncture Noninvasive BIPAP ventilator	SpO₂ EtCO₂ Vte	Maintaining SpO₂, EtCO₂, and Vte
Jo et al. (2014) [23]	Korea	M	49	20 m	No mention	Shiquandabutang	5 m	Acupuncture Physical therapy Manual therapy	Clinical symptoms K-ALSFRS-R	Maintaining respiratory function and speech
Sun and Xu (2014) [24]	China	M	42	2 y	EMG NCS	Buzhongyiqitangjiajian	2 m	Electroacupuncture	Clinical symptoms	Reducing fatigue, stomach discomfort, and constipation Improving muscle strength and mental state Gaining weight
Zhong et al. (2014) [25]	China	M	57	1 y	EMG	Combination of several herbal medicines	1 y	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Improving muscle strength
Lu and Zhao (2015) [26]	China	F	No mention	1 y	EMG MRI	Bushenkangshuaipian Combination of several herbal medicines	3 w	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Improving mental state, appetite, and muscle strength Reducing fatigue
Kim et al. (2016) [27]	Korea	F	52	6 y	EMG	Jianghuodihuangtangjiajian Wujiapizhuangjitangjiawei	11 d	Acupuncture	GAS Walking distance K-ALSFRS-R	Improving the GAS of the weakness of the upper and lower extremities Increasing walking distance
Cha et al. (2016) [28]	Korea	M	43	3 y	EMG MRI	Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract Jiaweishaoyaogancaofuzitang	3 m	Acupuncture Pharmacopuncture	CK level ALSFRS-R MRC muscle scale	Decreasing CK levels No change in the score of the MRC muscle scale
Qiu et al. (2016) [29]	China	F	41	3 y	El Escorial criteria	Dihuangyinzi	12 y	Riluzole (stopped after 1 month)	Clinical symptoms	Not requiring permanent continuous ventilator Improving choking on liquids
Cao et al. (2017) [30]	China	M	47	2 y	No mention	Liuweidihuangwan + Buzhongyiqitangjiajian	6 w	No mention	Clinical symptoms	Reducing sweating, hot flash, muscle fibrillation, improving muscle strength, appetite, and sleep
Liu et al. (2018) [31]	China	M	64	2 y	EMG	Liuweidihuangtang + Bazhentangjiajian	2 m	Acupuncture	Clinical symptoms	Improving weakness of the upper limbs and tongue stiffness

Details are not specified. Astragali Radix, Codonopsis Pilosulae Radix, Achyranthis Radix, Eucommiae Cortex, Homalomenae Rhizoma, Cnidii Rhizoma, Psoraleae Semen, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, Leonuri Herba, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Ostreae Testa. M, male; F, female; d, day(s); w, week(s); m, month(s); y, year(s); EMG, electromyography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NCS, nerve conduction study; ALSFRS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale; ALSFRS-R, ALSFRS-Revised; K-ALSFRS-R, Korean-ALSFRS-R; K-ODI, Korean Oswestry Disability Index; MRC, Medical Research Council; SNAQ, Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire; GAS, global assessment scale; BMI, body mass index; CK, creatine kinase; SpO2, saturation by pulse oximetry; EtCo2, =end-tidal CO₂ concentration; and Vte, exhaled tidal volume.