Effects of TCM aromatherapy on post-stroke depression: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND

Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) aromatherapy has been gradually applied to patients with post-stroke depression (PSD), but uncertainty remains. To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TCM aromatherapy in the treatment of post-stroke depression, we aim to conclude by synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

We searched the following databases in English and Chinese: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, Chaoxing, PubMed, and The Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials on the effects of TCM aromatherapy intervention in patients with post-stroke depression. The search period was from the inception of each database to February 20, 2025. After evaluation according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.

RESULTS

Ten RCTs involving 614 patients were included. The meta-analysis indicates that, compared to the control group, TCM aromatherapy can ameliorate depressive symptoms in patients with PSD [SMD = 0.53, 95% CI (0.19, 0.87),  = 0.003].

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that TCM aromatherapy alone or combined with other therapies appears to be effective in improving depression symptoms of stroke survivors, but high-quality evidence evaluating TCM aromatherapy for PSD is still needed.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS REGISTRATION

This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database in February 2025. The registration number is CRD42025642863.