Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of pre-eclampsia.

BACKGROUND

Pre-eclampsia is a common disorder of pregnancy with uncertain etiology. In Chinese herbal medicines, a number of herbs are used for treating pre-eclampsia. Traditional Chinese medicine considers that, when a woman is pregnant, most of the blood of the mother is directed to the placenta to provide the baby with the required nutrition; other maternal organs may in consequence be vulnerable to damage. These organs include the liver, the spleen, and the kidneys. The general effects of Chinese herbal medicines that can protect these organs may be valuable in pre-eclampsia by encouraging vasodilatation, increasing blood flow, and decreasing platelet aggregation. The use of Chinese herbal medicine is often based on the individual and presence of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of Chinese herbal medicine for treating pre-eclampsia and compare it with that of placebo, no treatment or Western medicine.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Groups Trial Register (31 March 2005), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2005), MEDLINE (1969 to December 2004), EMBASE (1984 to March 2004) and CBM (1978 to February 2005) and we handsearched several main journals published in China.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials in which Chinese herbal medicine was used for treating pre-eclampsia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

One review author assessed trials for inclusion. The trials were also assessed by a second review author if there was any doubt about whether or not to include the trial. Analysis was not performed as there were no trials included in this review.

MAIN RESULTS

No trials were suitable for inclusion in this review.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The effect of Chinese herbal medicine for treating pre-eclampsia remains unclear. There are currently no randomized controlled trials to address the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of pre-eclampsia. Well conducted randomized controlled trials are required.