Traditional Chinese Medicine for HIV-Associated Acute Herpes Zoster: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Table 1

Characteristics of included trials on traditional Chinese medicine for herpes zoster.

Trial ID	Sample I/C	Gender M/F	State of HIV	Age (years)	Treatment regimen	Duration	Outcomes
CHM vs. drugs
Jiang F, 2009 [17]	30/30	I: 19/11	HIV/AIDS	I: 41.3 ± 7.1	I: Long Dan Xie Gan granules (6 g/po./tid.) + Ruyi Jinhuang paste (external use, q.s./p.a.a./bid. or tid.)	14 d	Pain (VAS score); cure rate; adverse effects
		C: 17/13		C: 45.3 ± 8.7	C: acyclovir (0.2 g/po./5 times per day) + acyclovir ointment external (q.s./p.a.a./bid. or tid.)
Meng L, 2006 [18]	15/18	I: 10/16	HIV/AIDS	I: 42.5 ± 7.5	I: Long Dan Xie Gan granules (6 g/po./tid.) + Ruyi Jinhuang paste (external use, q.s./p.a.a./bid. or tid.)	14 d	Pain (VAS score); cure rate; adverse effects
		C: 11/18		C: 47.7 ± 9.2	C: acyclovir (0.2 g/po./5 times per day) + acyclovir ointment external (q.s./p.a.a./bid. or tid.)
CHM + drugs vs. drugs
Yu F, 2013 [19]	36/36	55/17	HIV/AIDS	I: 60.2 (50∼81)	I: Tanreqing injection (20 ml/5% GS 250 ml ivgtt./qd.) + CHM wash lotion (1,000∼2,000 mL/p.a.a. for 20∼25 min/bid.) + (acyclovir + acyclovir ointment external + diclofenac sodium and carbamazepine) (same as control)	21 d	Incidence of PHN; cure rate
				C:/	C: acyclovir (5∼10 (mg/kg)/5% GS 250 ml vgtt./q8h.) + acyclovir ointment external (q.s./p.a.a./unknown) + diclofenac sodium and carbamazepine (discretion/unknown/unknown)
Duan XW, 2011 [20]	10/10	14/6	AIDS	37.34 ± 12.9	I: Long Dan Xie Gan granules (unknown/po./bid.) + valacyclovir (200 mg/po./bid.)	45 d	Pain time (days); cure rate
					C: valacyclovir (200 mg/po./bid.)
Zeng L, 2005 [21]	18/20	I: 6/12	AIDS	I: 44.6 (36∼52)	I: Long Dan Xie Gan formula (elixation/po./bid.) + jidesheng sheyao tablets (external; grind into powder and mix with water to make a paste, q.s./p.a.a./q3h) + (acyclovir + vitamin B1 and vitamin B12 + somedon) (same as control)	7 d	Cure rate
		C: 9/11		C: 42.6 (28∼50)	C: acyclovir (10 mg/(kg)/ivgtt./q8h) + vitamin B1 and vitamin B12 (unknown/po./unknown) + somedon (p.r.n./po./unknown)
Liang FL, 2012 [22]	30/30	41/19	HIV/AIDS	67.2 (60∼81)	I: herbal gargle (add 500 mL water boil to 250 mL elixation/p.a.a. 20∼25 min/bid.; Patients with oral herpes: 30–50 ml/Garg.3∼5 min/bid.) + (acyclovir + ibuprofen or tramadol) (same as control)	10–30 d	Incidence of PHN; cure rate
					C: acyclovir (5∼10 mg/kg/ivgtt./q8h.) + ibuprofen or tramadol (p.r.n./po./unknown)
Wang Q, 2014 [23]	35/35	I: 18/17	AIDS	45 ± 2	I: Long Dan Xie Gan formula or Ba Zhen formula (elixation/po./bid.) + (ganciclovir + unknown AA for external use + compound glycyrrhizin injection + BCG-PSN + vitamin B12 + calamine) (same as control)	14–21 d	Pain time (days); incidence of PHN; adverse effects
		C: 18/17			C: ganciclovir (0.5 g/ivgtt./q8h.) + unknown antiviral agent for external use (q.s./p.a.a./unknown) + compound glycyrrhizin injection (40 mL/5% GS. Unknowm/Qd. 7 times) + BCG-PSN (1 mg/im./qod. for 4 times) + vitamin B12 (q.s./po./unknown) + calamine (p.r.n./p.a.a./unknown)
Shao Z, 2011 [24]	18/16	I: 17/1	HIV/AIDS	I: 35.78 ± 7.605	I: Long Dan Xie Gan formula or Chu Shi Wei Ling formula (elixation half dose/po./bid.) + Sanhuang wash lotion (q.s./po./unknown) + (valacyclovir + acyclovir) (same as control)	28 d	Pain (VAS score); cure rate; quality of life (WHOQOL); adverse effects
		C: 14/2		C: 35.88 ± 7.940	C: valacyclovir (300 mg/po./bid) + acyclovir (5–10 (mg/kg)/unknown/q8h.)
Pan HR, 2010 [25]	10/10	I: 9/1	HIV/AIDS	I: 20∼35: n = 5, 36∼50: n = 3, ≥51: n = 2	I: Long Dan Xie Gan formula or Chu Shi Wei Ling formula (elixation half dose/po./bid.) + Sanhuang wash lotion (q.s./po./unknown) + (valacyclovir + acyclovir) (same as control)	28 d	Pain time (days)
		C: 6/4		C: 20∼35: n = 3, 36∼50: n = 4, ≥51: n = 3	C: valacyclovir + acyclovir (300 mg/po./bid) + acyclovir (5–10 (mg/kg)/unknown/q8h.)
Wu JL, 2011 [26]	76/41	I: 57/17	AIDS	I: 40.12 (26∼68)	I: Long Dan Xie Gan formula or Chu Shi Wei Ling formula (elixation/unknown/unknown) + (valacyclovir + acyclovir) (same as control)	24 d	Quality of life (WHOQOL)
		C: 29/12		C: 38.98 (22∼66)	C: valacyclovir + acyclovir (300 mg/po./bid) + acyclovir (5–10 (mg/kg)/unknown/q8h.)
Acupuncture vs. drugs
Liu ZW, 2013 [27]	30/30	I: 17/13	HIV/AIDS	I: 44 ± 21	I: acupuncture (encircling needling/0.38 mm25 mm, 15°/20 min) + thread-moxa in Zhuang folk medicine (thread-moxa/0.7 mm300 mm/sparkle press acupoint for 2∼3 times) + jingwanhong burn ointment (external, q.s./po./after thread-Moxa); C: nimesulide (0.1 g/p.o./bid.) + valacyclovir (250 mg/p.o/tid.) + vitamin B1 (20 mg/po./tid.) + ribavirin ointment external (q.s./p.a.a./qid.)	14 d	Pain (VAS score); cure rate
		C: 16/14		C: 46 ± 18
Li M, 2000 [28]	20/40	50/60	HIV/AIDS	(20∼50)	I: moxibustion (regular moxibustion: unknown/31 min) + acupuncture (blood-letting puncture: three-edged needle/several drop of blood reducing acupuncture method: 0.38 mm25 mm, 15°/30 min. Encircling needling + reducing acupuncture method: 0.38 mm25 mm, 15°/30 min; transverse needling: 0.38 mm25 mm, 15°/30 min); C: acyclovir (200 mg/p.o/tid.) + acyclovir external (q.s./p.a.a./tid.)	27 d	Cure rate

Note: I: intervention group, C: control group, M: male, F: female, CHM: Chinese herbal medicine; and the cure rate of HZ (cure: the complete absence of pain and herpes; cure rate: number of cured/total number × 100%). Wu JL, 2011, is the only trial reported cointervention: HAART, with no further details. C:/ means that the age data of the control group in Yu F, 2013 were unreported.