October 5, 2022Frontiers in PharmacologyOpen Access

Efficacy and safety of traditional chinese medicine treatment for overweight and obese individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Why the study?

Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used for overweight and obesity, but its overall efficacy and safety remain unclear.

Does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) reduce Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight in overweight and obese adults?

Structured PICO

Does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) reduce Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight in overweight and obese adults?

Population

25 RCTs involving 1,947 overweight and obese adults (age ≥ 18 years, BMI ≥24 kg/m2), with or without other obesity-related metabolic diseases.

Intervention

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) preparations (preparations based on a single botanical drug or polyherbal preparations)

Comparator

Placebo or blank control

Outcome

Body Mass Index (BMI) and weightsurrogate

Traditional Chinese Medicine preparations may effectively reduce BMI, weight, and improve lipid and blood pressure profiles in overweight and obese adults, though the overall evidence quality is low.

Limitations

All outcome indicators had low quality or extremely low quality evidence
Heterogeneity in studies due to different countries, geographic regions, BMI levels, and comorbidity differences

Implication

TCM preparations show efficacy and safety for overweight/obesity; extends RCT evidence supporting adjunctive use in adults.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, causing a global health issue. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used in treating overweight/obesity has been widely implemented in clinical practice, but its overall efficacy and safety remain unclear. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TCM based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and Clinical Trails from their inception to March 2021. Two reviewers screened studies, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias independently. The data were pooled for meta-analysis or presented narratively. Results: Twenty-five RCTs involving 1,947 participants were included. Compared with placebo or blank control, TCM preparations reduced Body Mass Index (BMI) [MD = −1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.44, −0.89; I 2 = 34%], reduced weight (MD = −2.53; 95% CI = −3.08, −1.99; I 2 = 34%), reduced waist circumference (MD = −2.64; 95% CI = −3.42, −1.87; I 2 = 0%), reduced hip circumference (MD = −3.48; 95% CI = −4.13, −2.83; I 2 = 0%), reduced total cholesterol (TCHO) (MD = −10.45; 95% CI = −18.92, −1.98; I 2 = 63%), reduced triglycerides (TG) (MD = −4.19; 95% CI = −6.35, −2.03; I 2 = 25%), increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (MD = −3.60; 95% CI = −6.73, −0.47; I 2 = 81%), reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) (MD = −0.77; 95% CI = −1.24, −0.29; I 2 = 91%). Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)、body fat rate、low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were not statistically significant. For people with hypertension, decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD = −5.27; 95% CI = −8.35, −2.19; I 2 = 58%), decreased diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD = −4.30; 95% CI = −5.90, −2.69; I 2 = 0%). For people with normal blood pressure, there was no significant change. There was no significant difference in liver function. Conclusion: It has been demonstrated that TCM preparations have good clinical efficacy and safety for overweight/obesity. TCM may be suitable for overweight/obesity in adult populations for its efficacy and safety of long-term treatment.