Efficacy of Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine in treatment of preeclampsia: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Conventional Western treatments (CTs) for preeclampsia (PE) are often linked to serious side effects, such as higher rates of cesarean delivery and medically induced preterm birth. In contrast, recent clinical research has highlighted the potential of Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) as an effective alternative treatment. These studies show that CPMs may help lower blood pressure, reduce 24-h urinary protein levels, and improve pregnancy outcomes.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study evaluates the effectiveness of 11 CPMs used alongside CTs for PE. A network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to compare and rank their therapeutic benefits.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A comprehensive search was carried out across multiple databases up to December 2024 to identify studies assessing the effectiveness of CPMs for treating PE. Two independent reviewers screened the studies, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias. The NMA was conducted using a Bayesian approach, with statistical analyses performed in StataSE and RStudio. A network diagram, league tables, and SUCRA (surface under the cumulative ranking curve) plots were generated to compare and rank the treatments. This study is registered with PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42024602456).

RESULTS

A total of 61 studies involving 7044 patients with PE were included, examining the effects of 11 different CPMs. All CPMs showed benefits in lowering blood pressure, reducing 24-h urinary protein levels, and improving pregnancy outcomes. Among the treatments, the combination of Antelope Horn Oral Liquid, Astragalus Injection, and Bushen Jianpi Huoxue Granules was particularly effective in reducing blood pressure and urinary protein levels compared to CTs alone. Additionally, Compound Danshen Injection stood out for its superior impact on pregnancy outcomes, including increased neonatal birth weight and reduced risks of neonatal asphyxia, intrauterine fetal distress, perinatal mortality, placental abruption, and postpartum hemorrhage.

CONCLUSION

Combining CPMs with CTs for PE was associated with improved clinical outcomes compared to using CTs alone. However, high-quality, well-designed clinical trials should validate these preliminary results.