Abstract
Introduction:
Xiao-Yao-San (XYS), also Hsiao-Yao-San, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been widely demonstrated to relieve depression effectively in clinical trials. However, the results aren’t conclusive. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of XYS for depression in clinical randomized controlled trials, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis.
Methods
We searched for the available electronic databases before October 2022. We also performed the quality assessment, data extraction, and analysis of the trials that were included using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Twenty-eight randomized trials with 2256 patients met the inclusion criteria and entered the final systematic review.
Results
The meta-analysis results showed that: 1). Compared with antidepressants, XYS had a better efficiency in improving clinical comprehensive effect while having similar efficiency with antidepressants in reducing Hamilton Depression Scale scores. Besides, XYS had fewer adverse events than antidepressants; 2) Compared with antidepressants, XYS plus antidepressants can significantly improve the clinical comprehensive effect, decrease Hamilton Depression Scale scores, Clinical General Impression Scale scores, and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale scores with fewer side effects.
Conclusion
XYS may efficiently treat depression alone or combined with antidepressants, and it is also safer than most antidepressants. However, there were still some limitations in the meta-analysis due to low methodological quality; thus, more long-term, randomized, and double-blinded clinical trials are needed in the future.