Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jie Yu Xiao Yin on thyroid antibodies and inflammatory biomarkers in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients.

OBJECTIVES

This study assesses the efficacy of Jie Yu Xiao Yin (JYXY), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulation, on Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT).

METHODS

Ninety HT patients (2020-2022) were randomized to JYXY + levothyroxine (n = 45) or levothyroxine alone (n = 45) for 12 weeks. JYXY (300 mL/day) and levothyroxine (12.5-25 µg/day) were provided. Thyroid hormones (thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3)), antibodies (thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb), thyroglobulin (TGAb)), interleukin (IL 6, 10, 12, 17), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and TCM scores were measured at baseline and in weeks 4, 8, and 12. The final study included 86 patients (44 treatment and 42 control).

RESULTS

Baseline parameters were comparable (P > 0.05). At week 12, the treatment group showed greater reductions in TSH (3.06 ± 0.59 vs. 4.89 ± 0.71; P < 0.001), TPOAb (165.37 ± 8.55 vs. 199.28 ± 13.81 IU/mL; P < 0.001), and TGAb (159.77 ± 9.37 vs. 178.26 ± 13.04 IU/mL; P < 0.001). Pro-inflammatory cytokines decreased significantly in the JYXY group: IL-6 (16.02 ± 6.34 vs. 19.84 ± 5.21), IL-17 (21.07 ± 8.95 vs. 30.45 ± 10.12), and TGF-β (18.91 ± 6.12 vs. 22.34 ± 5.67) (all P < 0.001). IL-10 and IL-12 remained unchanged (P > 0.05). TCM scores improved markedly (3.70 ± 0.90 vs. 7.42 ± 4.38; P < 0.001), with higher clinical efficacy (87.63% vs. 69.05%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

JYXY coupled with levothyroxine improves thyroid function, decreases autoantibodies and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-17, TGF-β), and alleviates symptoms in HT patients, outperforming levothyroxine alone.