Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Review Article

The Role of Acupoint Application of Herbal Medicine for Asthma: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials

Table 2

Interventions and outcome assessments.


First author, year (ref.)	Control intervention	Experimental intervention	Treatment duration	Points selection	Outcome

Yang, 2018 [15]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), and Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae); 3 times a year for 2 consecutive years (dog days)	2 years▲	BL15 Xinshu, BL13 Feishu, BL17 Geshu, and BL11 Dazhu	FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, ACT, FAE
Wang, 2017 [16]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM	1 year▲	BL13 Feishu, BL15 Xinshu, BL17 Geshu, CV17 Danzhong, CV22 Tiantu, and RN8 Shenque	EOS, FEV₁, IgE
		Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), and Shexiang (Moschus)
		Every 10 days each time and duration for 3 to 4 hours (dog days)
		Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Shexiang (Moschus), Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata), and Buguzhi (Fructus Psoraleae)
		Every 9 days each time and duration for 3 to 4 hours (San-Jiu days)
		Dingxiang (Flos Caryophylli), Sharen (Fructus Amomi), Cangzhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis), Baizhu (White Atractylodes Rhizome), and Hujiao (Fructus Piperis)
		Duration for 3 to 12 hours (dog days and San-Jiu days)
Wang, 2017 [17]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM	3 months★	BL13 Feishu, BL15 Xinshu, BL17 Geshu, CV17 Danzhong, CV22 Tiantu, and RN8 Shenque	FEV₁
		Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), and Shexiang (Moschus)
		Every 10 days each time and duration for 3 to 4 hours (dog days)
		Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Shexiang (Moschus), Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata), and Buguzhi (Fructus Psoraleae)
		Every 9 days each time and duration for 3 to 4 hours (San-Jiu days)
		Dingxiang (Flos Caryophylli), Sharen (Fructus Amomi), Cangzhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis), Baizhu (White Atractylodes Rhizome), and Hujiao (Fructus Piperis)
		Duration for 3 to 12 hours (dog days and San-Jiu days)
Ma, 2016 [18]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi), Banxia (Rhizoma Pinelliae), and Shexiang (Moschus); every 3 days each time and duration for 2 hours (dog days)	30 days★	GV14 Dazhui, BL13 Feishu, BL20 Pishu, and BL23 Shenshu	FEV₁
Wang, 2016 [19]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Gansui (Radix Kansui), and Shexiang (Moschus); every 10 days each time and duration for 2 to 6 hours (dog days)	1 year▲	First dog days:	FEV₁, IgE
				BL12 Fengmen and BL13 Feishu
				EX-B1 Dingchuan
				Middle dog days:
				BL20 Pishu and BL14 Jueyinshu
				GV14 Dazhui
				End dog days:
				BL23 Shenshu and BL11 Dazhu
				BL43 Gaohuang
Shi, 2014 [20]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), and Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae); every 10 days each time and duration for 10 minutes (dog days)	1 year▲	BL15 Xinshu, BL13 Feishu, and BL17 Geshu	EOS, FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC
Chang, 2014 [21]	Placebo	AAHM	32 days★	Scheme 1: GV14 Dazhui; BL13 Feishu; EX-B1 Dingchuan; CV22 Tiantu; BL12 Fengmen; Scheme 2: BL13 Feishu; BL43 Gaohuang; BL20 Pishu; BL23 Shenshu; CV17 Danzhong.	FAE
		Scheme 1:
		Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae), Wuweizi (Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis), and Bingpian (Borneclum Syntheticum)
		Scheme 2:
		Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Ganjiang (Dried Ginger), Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi), Yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii), and Bingpian (Borneclum Syntheticum)
		(Schemes 1 and 2 were used alternately)
		Every 4 days each time and duration for 3 to 5 hours (dog days)
Liu, 2018 [22]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), and Xixin (Herbal Asari); every 10 days each time and duration for 4 hours (dog days)	1 year▲	BL15 Xinshu, BL13 Feishu, and BL17 Geshu	FAE
Tian, 2020 [23]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), and Xixin (Herbal Asari); 3 times a year for 2 consecutive years and duration for 2 to 4 hours (dog days)	2 years	BL15 Xinshu, BL13 Feishu, BL17 Geshu, BL20 Pishu, ST40 Fenglong	FAE, FEV₁
Shang, 2013 [24]	Placebo	AAHM Xixin (Herbal Asari), Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Gansui (Radix Kansui), and Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae); twice a week and duration for 1 hour (dog days)	4 weeks★	Along governor vessel and bladder meridian of foot taiyang	IgE
Lu, 2011 [25]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), and Xixin (Herbal Asari); every 10 days each time (dog days)	3 years▲	Scheme 1:	FEV₁, AQLQ, FEV₁/FVC
				CV22 Tiantu and GV14 Dazhui
				BL13 Feishu and BL20 Pishu
				RN8 Shenshu and ST36 Zusanli
				Scheme 2:
				CV17 Danzhong and BL42 Pohu ST40 Fenglong and BL49 Yishe
				EX-B1 Dingchuan and BL52 Zhishi
				(Schemes 1 and 2 were used alternately)
Bai, 2010 [26]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Gansui (Radix Kansui), Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae), Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), and Dilong (Pheretima); every 2 or 3 days each time (dog days)	3 years▲	BL23 Shenshu, BL13 Feishu, EX-B1 Dingchuan, BL43 Gaohuang	FAE
Yao, 2009 [27]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Hujiao (Fructus Piperis), Xixin (Herbal Asari), and Baizhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae); every 3 or 4 days each time and duration for 4 to 4 hours (4 weeks)	4 weeks★	Scheme 1:	AQLQ, FEV₁/FVC
				CV22 Tiantu and GV14 Dazhui;
				BL13 Feishu and BL20 Pishu
				Scheme 2:
				CV22 Tiantu and CV17 Danzhong
				ST36 Zusanli and RN6 Qihai
				RN4 Guanyuan
				(Schemes 1and 2 were used alternately)
Yu, 2009 [28]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Hujiao (Fructus Piperis), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Banfenghe (Pterospermum heterophyllum Hance), and Baizhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae); twice a week and duration for 4 hours (4 weeks)	4 weeks★	Scheme 1:	FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, AQLQ,
				CV22 Tiantu and GV14 Dazhui
				BL13 Feishu and BL20 Pishu
				Scheme 2:
				CV22 Tiantu and CV17 Danzhong
				ST36 Zusanli and RN6 Qihai
				RN4 Guanyuan
				(Schemes 1 and 2 were used alternately)
Yao, 2007 [29]	Placebo	AAHM Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Hujiao (Fructus Piperis), Xixin (Herbal Asari), Banfenghe (Pterospermum heterophyllum Hance), and Baizhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae); twice a week and duration for 4 hours (4 weeks)	4 weeks★	Scheme 1:	EOS, FEV₁
				CV22 Tiantu and GV14 Dazhui
				BL13 Feishu and BL20 Pishu
				Scheme 2:
				CV22 Tiantu and CV17 Danzhong
				ST36 Zusanli and RN6 Qihai
				RN4 Guanyuan
				(Schemes 1 and 2 were used alternately)
Mi, 2005 [30]	RP + placebo	RP + AAHM, Baijiezi (Semen Brassicae), Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Gansui (Radix Kansui), and Xixin (Herbal Asari); every 10 days each time and duration for 1 hour (3 months)	3 months★	Scheme 1:	FEV₁/FVC
				BL13 Feishu and BL21 Weishu
				CV17 Danzhong and BL52 Zhishi
				Scheme 2:
				BL20 Pishu and BL43 Gaohuang
				BL12 Fengmen and CV22 Tiantu
				Scheme3:
				BL23 Shenshu and RN12 Zhongwan
				EX-B1 Dingchuan and BL23 Xinshu
				(Schemes 1, 2, and 3 were used alternately)

Abbreviations: ACT: asthma control test, AAHM: acupoint application of herbal medicine, AQLQ: asthma quality of life questionnaire, FAE: frequency of acute exacerbations, IgE: Immunoglobulin E, RP: routine pharmacotherapy, EOS: eosinophil, FEV₁: forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and FVC: forced vital capacity. The application method and point selection are the same as the experimental intervention. ▲Long-term efficacy observation. ★Short-term efficacy observation.