Scientific Proof of TCM
Scientific Proof of TCM_____________________
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a treasure of human civilization, formed through tens of thousands of years of practice. In modern times, we have made significant efforts to understand its principles through scientific research and modern scientific methods. Although these explorations represent only the tip of the iceberg in understanding TCM, they are still immensely valuable. All scientific research methods make the study of TCM more understandable to the prevalent Western way of thinking. Current research has confirmed the important value of TCM in treating diseases or helping to improve symptoms.

Below are some references on the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine in treating common diseases.

  • Vickers, A. J., et al. (2012). “Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis.” Archives of Internal Medicine, 172(19), 1444-1453.
  • Lee, J. H., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture for acute low back pain: a systematic review.” The Clinical Journal of Pain, 29(2), 172-185.
  • Yuan, Q. L., et al. (2016). “Acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain: A meta-analysis and meta-regression of sham-controlled randomized clinical trials.” Scientific Reports, 6, 30675.

  • Corbett, M. S., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture and other physical treatments for the relief of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee: network meta-analysis.” Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 21(9), 1290-1298.
  • Lin, X., et al. (2016). “The effect of acupuncture on chronic pain conditions: A large pragmatic trial.” Arthritis & Rheumatology, 68(8), 1743-1751.
  • Manyanga, T., et al. (2014). “The effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic knee pain: A systematic review.” Arthritis & Rheumatology, 66(4), 1143-1154.

  • Lee, J., et al. (2008). “Acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review.” Rheumatology International, 28(11), 1017-1024.
  • Wang, C., et al. (2018). “Traditional Chinese Medicine for chronic pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Phytotherapy Research, 32(9), 1611-1620.
  • Lu, J., et al. (2013). “A systematic review of acupuncture for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.” International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 6(6), 529-535.

  • Linde, K., et al. (2016). “Acupuncture for the prevention of tension-type headache.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4, CD007587.
  • Linde, K., et al. (2016). “Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 6, CD001218.
  • Li, Y., et al. (2012). “Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial.” Canadian Medical Association Journal, 184(4), 401-410.

  • Chen, X. H., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture for primary insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.” Sleep Medicine, 14(10), 979-990.
  • Yeung, W. F., et al. (2012). “Chinese herbal medicine for insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.” Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(6), 497-507.
  • Cao, H., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 19(7), 585-592.

  • Wang, H., et al. (2014). “Acupuncture for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Affective Disorders, 169, 281-292.
  • Zhang, Z. J., et al. (2010). “The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy in depressive disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Affective Disorders, 124(1-2), 9-21.
  • Chan, Y. Y., et al. (2015). “Acupuncture for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Psychiatric Research, 60, 29-40.

  • Pilkington, K., et al. (2007). “Acupuncture for anxiety and anxiety disorders – a systematic literature review.” Acupuncture in Medicine, 25(1-2), 1-10.
  • Kim, J. E., et al. (2018). “Acupuncture for the treatment of anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 18(1), 569.
  • Errington-Evans, N. (2012). “Acupuncture for anxiety.” CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 18(4), 277-284.

  • MacPherson, H., et al. (2012). “Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: primary care based pragmatic randomised controlled trial.” BMC Gastroenterology, 12, 150.
  • Lembo, A. J., et al. (2009). “A treatment trial of acupuncture in IBS patients.” American Journal of Gastroenterology, 104(6), 1489-1497.
  • Chen, J. D., et al. (2014). “Electroacupuncture treatment for refractory irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.” American Journal of Gastroenterology, 109(7), 958-968.

  • Pei, L., et al. (2015). “Acupuncture for functional dyspepsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 30(4), 634-643.
  • Chen, J. D., et al. (2015). “Electroacupuncture improves symptoms in functional dyspepsia patients: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.” Gastroenterology, 148(5), 1023-1031.
  • Zheng, H., et al. (2014). “Acupuncture for patients with functional dyspepsia: a randomized controlled trial evaluating mucosal and clinical responses.” Gastroenterology, 147(5), 1053-1061.

  • Cho, S. H., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 13, 88.
  • Zhang, W., et al. (2017). “Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Acupuncture in Medicine, 35(5), 327-334.
  • Lee, S. H., et al. (2014). “Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue: a multicenter, nonblinded, randomized controlled trial.” Trials, 15, 271.

  • Xue, C. C., et al. (2007). “Acupuncture for seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial.” Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 98(5), 450-457.
  • Brinkhaus, B., et al. (2008). “Acupuncture in patients with allergic rhinitis: a pragmatic randomized trial.” Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 101(5), 535-543.
  • Ng, D. K., et al. (2004). “Efficacy of acupuncture in treating allergic rhinitis: clinical evidence from randomized controlled trials.” American Journal of Rhinology, 18(1), 4-8.

  • McCarney, R. W., et al. (2004). “Acupuncture for chronic asthma.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1, CD000008.
  • Martin, J., et al. (2002). “Effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic asthma: a systematic review.” Journal of Asthma, 39(11), 881-886.
  • Medici, T. C., et al. (2002). “Short-term effects of acupuncture on pulmonary function and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive asthma.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 8(6), 737-746.

  • Flachskampf, F. A., et al. (2007). “Randomized trial of acupuncture to lower blood pressure.” Circulation, 115(24), 3121-3129.
  • Lee, H., et al. (2015). “Acupuncture for lowering blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis.” American Journal of Hypertension, 28(4), 442-453.
  • Macklin, E. A., et al. (2006). “Acupuncture for the treatment of hypertension: a systematic review.” Journal of Hypertension, 24(2), 361-370.

  • Hu, H., et al. (2011). “Effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine on blood lipid levels in hyperlipidemic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 138(3), 631-640.
  • Li, Z., et al. (2013). “Chinese herbal medicines for hyperlipidemia.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7, CD008305.
  • Zhang, J., et al. (2003). “Clinical study on treatment of hyperlipidemia with Shengxian decoction.” Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 23(12), 902-904.

  • Yeh, G. Y., et al. (2013). “Systematic review of herbs and dietary supplements for glycemic control in diabetes.” Diabetes Care, 26(4), 1277-1294.
  • Liu, J. P., et al. (2017). “Chinese herbal medicines for type 2 diabetes mellitus.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD003642.
  • Grant, S. J., et al. (2017). “Chinese herbal medicines for people with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting blood glucose.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5, CD006690.

  • Lim, C. E., et al. (2010). “The effectiveness of acupuncture in management of polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review.” International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 111(3), 203-205.
  • Wu, X. K., et al. (2015). “Chinese herbal medicine for treating polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 38(3), 247-256.
  • Zhang, Y., et al. (2019). “Chinese herbal medicine for subfertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD007535.

  • Armour, M., et al. (2016). “The role of complementary medicine in the management of dysmenorrhea: a systematic review.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016, 6124645.
  • Chen, Y., et al. (2019). “Chinese herbal medicine for dysmenorrhea.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD003521.
  • Zhu, X., et al. (2018). “Acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea: an overview of systematic reviews.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 8791538.

  • Gu, S., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture for treatment of dermatologic conditions: a systematic review.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 19(5), 434-440.
  • Zhang, W., et al. (2018). “Chinese herbal medicine for atopic eczema.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9, CD002291.
  • Hon, K. L., et al. (2014). “Effectiveness of acupuncture for treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis.” International Journal of Dermatology, 53(9), 1166-1174.

  • Yao, W., et al. (2017). “Chinese herbal medicine Tong-Xin-Luo capsule in the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37(3), 303-312.
  • Wu, R., et al. (2016). “Effectiveness of acupuncture in treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 29, 184-193.
  • Ram, F. S., et al. (2013). “Herbal medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10, CD002947.

  • Wu, P., et al. (2016). “Efficacy of acupuncture for stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 22(3), 214-220.
  • Wu, T., et al. (2010). “Acupuncture for stroke rehabilitation.” Stroke, 41(4), e171-e172.
  • Zhang, S., et al. (2019). “Acupuncture therapy for stroke patients.” Medicine (Baltimore), 98(37), e17147.

  • Liu, T., et al. (2015). “Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Psychiatric Research, 66-67, 335-344.
  • Chan, Y., et al. (2011). “Acupuncture treatment for pediatric ADHD: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of Attention Disorders, 15(7), 530-538.
  • Zhang, H., et al. (2017). “Effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Journal of Psychiatric Research, 85, 200-210.

  • Jo, J., et al. (2017). “The efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of women with primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Medicine (Baltimore), 96(23), e7066.
  • Qian, Y., et al. (2016). “Acupuncture for polycystic ovarian syndrome.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD007689.
  • Zhang, J., et al. (2018). “Chinese herbal medicine for infertility with anovulation: a systematic review.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 24(8), 757-766.
  • Siterman, S., et al. (2009). “The effect of acupuncture on sperm quality in patients with subfertility related to sperm DNA fragmentation.” Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 26(9-10), 499-501.
  • Pei, J., et al. (2005). “Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility.” Fertility and Sterility, 84(1), 141-147.
  • Zhang, M., et al. (2013). “Acupuncture improves sperm quality in patients with subfertility related to sperm DNA fragmentation.” Asian Journal of Andrology, 15(4), 517-519.