European Journal of Integrative Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Herbal medicine treatment patterns for Parkinson’s disease: A nationwide population-based medical claims database in South Korea","authors":"Jiyun Cha ,&nbsp;Ojin Kwon ,&nbsp;Changsop Yang ,&nbsp;In-chan Seol ,&nbsp;Jung-Hee Jang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102509","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102509","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by heterogeneous symptoms and long disease progression and requires individualized treatment. This study aimed to elucidate large-scale herbal medicine patterns according to age, duration of disease progression, and various detailed symptoms of PD, as well as examine comorbidities to build a basis for clinical applications.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance System cohort database regarding patients with PD who received herbal medicines between 2014 and 2020. We identified 10,060 patients with various prescription patterns based on age and PD duration. Additionally, to estimate the potential therapeutic mechanisms of insured herbal medicines for the clinical symptoms of PD, we conducted a literature review of the results of clinical and preclinical studies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall insurance-covered herbal medicine prescriptions for patients with PD had increased in both the number of prescriptions and patients over time. The herbal medicine use rate in patients with PD was the highest between ages 70 and 79 years and within 3 years of PD onset. Doinseunggi-tang, Haengso-tang, and Palmul-tang were the most frequently used herbal medicines. The most common comorbidities diagnosed along with PD were musculoskeletal and digestive diseases.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Some insurance-covered herbal medicines are frequently used among patient groups in a specific age group or duration of disease, and our literature review indicates a correlation between the mechanism of action of these herbal medicines and a specific subgroup of patients with PD. To validate these results and draw meaningful conclusions that reflect the realities of Korean medicine clinical practice, including non-reimbursed treatments, further prospective large-scale clinical trials considering age and disease progression duration are required.</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea grant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"77 ","pages":"Article 102509"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144481249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shikonin enhances hypnotic effect and synergistic properties of diazepam, possibly through GABAergic interaction pathway: In vivo and in silico studies","authors":"Shipan Paul ,&nbsp;Raihan Chowdhury ,&nbsp;Md. Sakib Al Hasan ,&nbsp;Md. Shimul Bhuia ,&nbsp;Mohammed Alfaifi ,&nbsp;Salehin Sheikh ,&nbsp;Asraful Islam Rakib ,&nbsp;Faysal Mollah ,&nbsp;Shakil Ahmmed ,&nbsp;Sharmita Ghosh Situ ,&nbsp;Irfan Aamer Ansari ,&nbsp;Siddique Akber Ansari ,&nbsp;Debasree Sen Oisay ,&nbsp;Muhammad Torequl Islam","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Shikonin is a natural naphthoquinone from Lithospermum erythrorhizon with diverse pharmacological activities, including neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and hypnotic effects.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The current study was focused on investigating the hypnotic effect and combination characteristics of shikonin with diazepam through in vivo and in silico studies. Swiss albino mice received shikonin (SKN-10 and SKN-20 mg/kg), diazepam (DZP-2 mg/kg) as a positive control, and a vehicle as a negative control (NC). Two combinations of SKN-10 and SKN-20 with DZP-2 were also administered before thiopental sodium-induced sleep to assess hypnosis and sedation. Different computational tools were utilized for molecular interaction and pharmacokinetics.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In vivo study demonstrated that shikonin significantly (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) increased sleep duration and reduced sleep latency in animals compared to the NC group. In addition to combination therapy, SKN-10 significantly enhanced the effect of diazepam compared to DZP-2 + SKN-20, resulting in the longest sleep duration and shortest latency, indicating the strongest hypnotic effects compared to the other groups. Moreover, molecular docking indicated that the shikonin showed strong binding affinity (BA) (−8.9 kcal/mol) compared to diazepam for the GABA_A receptor.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In summary, shikonin showed significant hypnotic and synergistic effects along with diazepam. Acute toxicity studies showed shikonin caused no behavioral changes, toxicity, or mortality in mice up to 20 mg/kg, suggesting a high safety margin, with the oral LD₅₀ likely exceeding 1g/kg. Future research should explore shikonin’s long-term effects, safety, and optimal dosage, particularly in clinical settings. In vitro studies on GABA_A interactions, combination therapy with diazepam, and cognitive, behavioral, and toxicity assessments are crucial for its safe use in CNS disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 102508"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144502026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soshihotang as a potential therapeutic option for alleviating inflammation and related mechanisms associated with long COVID: An in vitro study and network pharmacology analysis","authors":"Ga-Ram Yu ,&nbsp;Dong-Woo Lim ,&nbsp;Won-Hwan Park","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102505","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102505","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Long COVID is a persistent symptom that appears in many COVID-19 patients, regardless of whether they are asymptomatic, mild, or severe. At least 10 % of the global population suffers from long COVID. The anti-inflammatory effects of six Korean national insurance-covered herbal prescriptions were evaluated in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Additional network pharmacology analysis was conducted to assess their potential for mitigating chronic respiratory tract inflammation. This study aimed to provide an experimental basis for the clinical application of herbal prescriptions and compounds in long COVID patients.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Six candidate prescriptions were selected from the 56 national insurance-covered herbal prescriptions used in Korea. The <em>in vitro</em> efficacies and mechanisms of these six prescriptions on LPS-activated murine macrophages were evaluated. The long COVID-related targets isolated from patients with long COVID and obtained from the GEO online database were identified. These targets were compared with the potential targets of the most potent prescription used in this study.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Soshihotang (SST) significantly downregulated iNOS and COX2 expression and reduced the production of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6. SST also inhibited IκBα phosphorylation and reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Network pharmacological analysis showed that SST influenced the NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, Saikosaponin D, a major ingredient of Bupleuri Radix (a major herb in SST), showed similar effects and mechanisms to those of SST, including the NF-κB and TNFα signaling pathways. Thus, SST may modulate the inflammatory pathways associated with long COVID through its active component, saikosaponin D.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings suggest that the potent anti-inflammatory effects of SST are due to its suppression of inflammatory cytokines by blocking NF-κB translocation. In addition, the predicted target was reconfirmed using network pharmacology. Nevertheless, further study on the clinical application of SST as insurance-covered herbal medicine on long COVID patients is needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"77 ","pages":"Article 102505"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Baihu Jia Renshen decoction for type 2 diabetes: A multi-method study combining a systematic literature review, Delphi survey, and network pharmacology","authors":"Fangyan Yang ,&nbsp;Kangle Shi ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Liu ,&nbsp;Shiyao Wang ,&nbsp;Hongyu Meng ,&nbsp;Juan Cheng ,&nbsp;Jiayue Li ,&nbsp;Weihong Xu ,&nbsp;Yangxi Li ,&nbsp;Ruixi Tian ,&nbsp;Ling Tang ,&nbsp;Cong Lei ,&nbsp;Zhijun Wang ,&nbsp;Hongmei Duan ,&nbsp;Qinggang Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Baihu Jia Renshen Decoction is composed of Gypsum Fibrosum, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Oryza Sativa L., Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma. It is recommended by five guidelines in China for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, evaluations of its efficacy involve a diverse range of outcomes. This multi-method study aims to identify clinical outcomes that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners consider both predictive of T2DM progression and responsive to the formula, and to explore the herbal formula’s mechanisms of action on these outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We searched eight databases and collated clinical outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials, as well as signs and symptoms of clinical response listed in TCM clinical guidelines. A panel of eight TCM clinicians participated in three rounds of Delphi surveys to select the most important outcomes. Finally, overlapping genes between responsive outcomes-related genes and the targets of formula were obtained. Based on the enrichment analysis results, the“herb-compound-target-pathway-outcome” relationship was constructed to show how the formula affect clinical outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seventy-six outcomes were shortlisted from the literature, from which consensus was reached in the Delphi survey on eight. These were xerostomia, polydipsia, preference for cold drinks, red tongue, dry tongue, tongue coating dryness, large pulse and fasting blood glucose (FBG). Fifteen overlapping gene targets were identified. Based on enrichment analysis, we hypothesized that diosgenin, nicotinic acid, and anhydroicaritin from Anemarrhenae Rhizoma may act on SOD1, PPARGC1A, CHRM3, modulating AMPK signaling pathway and thereby influencing xerostomia and tongue dryness. The 29 components were found to act on PPARG, PPARGC1A, SHBG, etc, regulating insulin signaling pathway and the AMPK signaling pathway, ultimately affecting FBG.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Based on the network pharmacology studies, the potential mechanisms of action of Baihu Jia Renshen Decoction on the eight core clinical outcomes are as follows. Anemarrhenae Rhizoma may regulate dryness of the tongue and xerostomia. Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma may modulate FBG levels. Further research is needed to explore the formula’s mechanisms of action for the remaining five outcomes and T2DM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 102501"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shugan Jieyu Capsule modulates STAT3 to alleviate non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents: Integrative insights from psychological, network pharmacology, and experimental analyses","authors":"Yilin Liu ,&nbsp;Yuanling Chen ,&nbsp;Zhichao Guo ,&nbsp;Wenzhi Wu ,&nbsp;Xinling Zhao ,&nbsp;Yatang Chen ,&nbsp;Fuyi Qin ,&nbsp;Xinrui Li ,&nbsp;Yuan Fang ,&nbsp;Jia Wen ,&nbsp;Xi Hou ,&nbsp;Yongchuan Chen ,&nbsp;Rui Bai ,&nbsp;Hua Lv ,&nbsp;Yong Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102506","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>This investigation examines the interplay between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), comorbid addiction, and depressive symptomology in adolescent populations. It evaluates the potential clinical utility of Shugan Jieyu Capsule (SJC) in mitigating NSSI behaviors by addressing underlying addictive tendencies, alongside its practical implementation in routine care settings. To achieve these aims, this investigation employs an integrative framework combining psychological survey research, network pharmacology, and experimental validation to investigate the mechanistic interplay between alcohol addiction and NSSI in adolescents.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 1401 adolescents in Southwest China was conducted to assess behavioral associations. Meanwhile, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed for SJC-related role factors and addiction-associated molecules using multi-database integration. Core targets were prioritized through network convergence analysis, followed by functional enrichment to delineate biological pathways. Clinical NSSI samples were analyzed to validate the differential expression of candidate biomarkers. The diagnostic utility and therapeutic potential of SJC modulation in NSSI were evaluated via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and molecular docking simulations, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Psychometric evaluations revealed robust correlations among alcohol use disorder, depressive symptomology, and NSSI in adolescent cohorts. Network pharmacology profiling of SJC identified 13 active ingredients of SJC and 40 potential targets related to addiction. The RT-qPCR detected significantly altered expression of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (<em>STAT3</em>) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from NSSI patients compared with age-matched controls. ROC analysis and molecular docking simulations collectively validated <em>STAT3</em> dysregulation as a candidate diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker for NSSI.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The development of NSSI in adolescents is correlated with depressive symptoms and alcohol addiction. SJC, a clinically used antidepressant, has the potential to treat NSSI by acting on the addiction-related gene <em>STAT3</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"77 ","pages":"Article 102506"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144312801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Demographics, practice characteristics, professional satisfaction and professional association engagement of homeopaths in New Zealand: Results from a cross-sectional workforce survey","authors":"Alastair C Gray ,&nbsp;Christine D Luketic ,&nbsp;Jessie Coleman ,&nbsp;Barbara Roberts","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102500","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102500","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Complementary medicine (CM) appears to be thriving in New Zealand. Homeopathy is a key profession within the broader field of CM. However, there is little empirical evidence relating to homeopathy in New Zealand. There are challenges for researchers to collect evidence about the profession as homeopaths are not required to register with a professional body which means the true number of homeopaths in New Zealand is unclear. Additionally, homeopathy is often utilised by other health professionals. In direct response, the aim of this study is to report on a study that explores demographics and practice characteristics, professional satisfaction and professional association engagement among homeopaths in New Zealand. An online survey was administered to homeopaths in New Zealand. Homeopaths in New Zealand are mostly female (95%) with an average age of 57. Half of all respondents were between the ages of 52 and 65, and 24.3% of surveyed Homeopaths live in Auckland. Eighty percent of those surveyed are currently practicing, and 76% work in private practice. Two thirds of homeopaths have been trained in New Zealand, with over 40% trained at one institution. More than 30% have been trained in other countries. A quarter of respondents found the most satisfying aspect of practice involved the client-practitioner relationship and their clinical results. Only 58% of the respondents were registered with the New Zealand Council of Homeopaths and when asked why, 25% had concerns about the cost of registration, 16.5% felt that the requirements were complicated, and 11% of Homeopaths could not see the benefits of registration. Two indicators of health and growth in a profession appear to be missing in New Zealand. Despite individual professional satisfaction there is not universal engagement by professional homeopaths with the registering body. Additionally, currently there is only one school providing homeopathy training in the country. Further research is warranted to explore the demographics of full-time, part-time and partial prescribers of homeopathy, as well as their perceptions and experiences, to more fully identify and ultimately address the challenges, risks, opportunities and tensions related to practicing homeopathy in New Zealand.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 102500"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Meta-analysis and network pharmacology study of Xiaoke Pill in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus","authors":"Xue Zhao,&nbsp;Yi Zhang,&nbsp;Pengling Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Xiaoke Pill is a combination Chinese and Western medicine formula that combines seven Chinese herbal medicines with glibenclamide. Xiaoke Pill is widely used in China for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however, its overall effectiveness and mechanisms of action are yet to be fully evaluated. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Xiaoke Pill compared to Western medicine only and explore its potential mechanisms of action by using network pharmacology.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Xiaoke Pill in the treatment of T2DM were obtained by searching eight databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Medicine Disc (CBM), PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. A meta-analysis was performed utilizing RevMan 5.4.1 software. The active ingredients and related targets of Xiaoke Pill were obtained by using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Disease targets for T2DM were acquired using the GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), and Therapeutic Target Database (TTD). The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed using R 3.6.1 software.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Twenty-three RCTs with a total of 2946 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that Xiaoke Pill had significant clinical advantages in the treatment of T2DM. Compared with the use of Western medicine only, it shows better efficacy in regulating blood sugar, reducing blood lipids, and improving efficacy. The results of network pharmacology showed that neokadsurac acid A, formononetin, Schottenol were the key ingredients of Xiaoke Pill in the treatment of T2DM. The core targets were EGFR, SRC, STAT3. It mainly included prostate cancer, PI3K-Akt and HIF-1 signaling pathway.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Compared with Western medicine only, the clinical advantages of Xiaoke Pill in the treatment of T2DM may stem from the synergistic effect of Chinese and Western medicine components and their multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway regulatory mechanisms. However, its improvement in blood glucose may not reach the clinically significant level, and its clinical significance still needs to be verified by more related studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"77 ","pages":"Article 102502"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the use of complementary and alternative medicine during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study from Indonesia","authors":"Mukhlis Rauf ,&nbsp;Yulia Yusrini Djabir ,&nbsp;Abdul Rahim ,&nbsp;Barbara Tóth ,&nbsp;Muh. Akbar Bahar","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to therapies used alongside or in place of conventional medical care. CAM use during pregnancy has gained increasing attention, yet little is known about its patterns and determinants in Indonesia. This study aimed to explore CAM use among pregnant women, identify influencing factors, and assess potential herb-drug interactions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to November 2023 at a secondary hospital in Makassar, Indonesia. Pregnant women aged ≥ 18 years attending outpatient clinic were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a validated, structured questionnaire that assessed demographic characteristics, CAM and medication use, and perceptions of CAM. Potential herb-drug interactions were identified using the Indonesian Traditional Medicine Formulary and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 560 respondents, 52.3 % reported currently using CAM, with herbal medicines being the most commonly used modality. Factors significantly associated with CAM use included educational level (p=0.021), gestational age (p=0.016), prior CAM use (p&lt;0.001), CAM use among family/friends (p&lt;0.001), and concurrent prescribed medications (p=0.003). Twelve potential herb-drug interactions were identified: eight were classified as moderate and four as minor interactions.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The high prevalence of CAM use among pregnant women highlights the need for healthcare providers to offer guidance on safe use and potential herb-drug interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 102507"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144522385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Xiao’ er Chiqiao Qingre Granule combined with azithromycin for treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: A systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Shuo Yang ,&nbsp;Xinying Liu ,&nbsp;Yaowei Han ,&nbsp;Dan Sun ,&nbsp;Huanmin Li ,&nbsp;Huizhe Wang ,&nbsp;Ziyu Wang ,&nbsp;Haokai Wang ,&nbsp;Yunzheng Mei ,&nbsp;Kunya Fu ,&nbsp;Xinmin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>In Asia, the incidence of <em>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</em> pneumonia is high and continues to rise. Xiao’ er Chiqiao Qingre Granules (XECQQR) consist of various Chinese medicinals and exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. This review conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of combining XECQQR with azithromycin in the treatment of MPP.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>As of February 21, 2025, a comprehensive search across nine databases was conducted, including CNKI, PubMed and others, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating XECQQR combined with azithromycin. Data were analyzed using Stata 14.0 and RevMan 5.4. The sources of evidence heterogeneity were explained by meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (ROB), and the certainty of evidence was graded via the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 26 RCTs involving 2626 patients were included. The combination of XECQQR and azithromycin was more effective than azithromycin alone, demonstrating higher efficacy rates and shorter times for the resolution of clinical symptoms and pulmonary signs. The combination therapy group exhibited significant reductions in response rate (RR = 1.17, 95 % CI [1.14, 1.21], low certainty evidence), disappearance time of fever (MD = -1.73 days, 95 % CI [-2.02, -1.44], very low certainty evidence), disappearance time of cough (MD = -2.65 days, 95 % CI [-3.08, -2.22], very low certainty evidence), and disappearance time of pulmonary rales (MD = -2.51 days, 95 % CI [-3.00, -2.02], very low certainty evidence). The combination therapy of XECQQR plus azithromycin demonstrated a significantly lower overall adverse event rate of 8.01 % (72/899) compared to 13.94 % (125/896) in the azithromycin monotherapy group (RR = 0.57, 95 % CI [0.44, 0.75], low certainty evidence).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Treatment with XECQQR combined with azithromycin may outperform azithromycin alone in alleviating clinical symptoms, pulmonary signs, reducing inflammatory response, and enhancing immune function. Furthermore, the combination therapy regimen demonstrates a favorable safety profile. Nevertheless, we anticipate the conduction of high-quality, large-scale, multicenter RCTs for confirmation and validation in the future.</div></div><div><h3>Review Registration</h3><div>PROSPERO CRD42023465734.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"77 ","pages":"Article 102503"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of acupotomy combined with epidural steroid injection for lumbar radiculopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Sang-Hyun Lee ,&nbsp;Jin-Hyun Lee ,&nbsp;Hyeon-Kyu Choi ,&nbsp;Myeong-Soo Lee ,&nbsp;Sooil Choi ,&nbsp;Sukhee Park ,&nbsp;Hye-Jung Kim ,&nbsp;Young Il Kim ,&nbsp;Young Su Lim ,&nbsp;Tae-Yong Park","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102504","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102504","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Acupotomy—a combination of acupuncture and minimally invasive surgery—is a commonly used traditional East Asian medical intervention for treating patients with lumbar radiculopathy (LR). In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether a combination of acupotomy and epidural steroid injections (ESIs) was more effective than ESIs alone or ESIs with interventions other than acupotomy for LR patients.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which used acupotomy and ESIs in patients with LR, were retrieved from thirteen databases on June 10, 2024 (PROSPERO CRD42023435441). Included studies assessed outcomes using the pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), total effective rate (TER), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and adverse events (AEs). Cochrane’s Risk of Bias Tool 2 (RoB2) was employed to assess the risk of bias in the studies. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool was also used to assess the quality of the evidence.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Five studies involving 577 patients were included in this review. Compared with ESIs alone, a combination of acupotomy and ESIs led to improvement in pain VAS scores (three RCTs, standard mean difference [SMD] −0.73 [−1.01 to −0.45], very low certainty of evidence [CoE]) and TER (four RCTs, risk ratio 1.31 [1.02 to 1.69], very low CoE), although most studies were evaluated as <em>high risk</em> in the RoB2 evaluation. However, the combination showed no improvement in ODI (two RCTs, SMD 0.46 [−1.58 to 2.50], very low CoE). There were no major AEs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Although the quality of the evidence was very low, combined acupotomy and ESIs proved more effective than ESIs alone for LR patients. Further rigorously designed studies are warranted to confirm the effects of combination therapy on LR patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"77 ","pages":"Article 102504"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144331032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}