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The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) and Other Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) in the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B

  • Hepatitis B (JK Lim, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Hepatology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To provide a review and update of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to the management of chronic hepatitis B, with particular emphasis upon traditional Chinese medicines (TCM).

Recent Findings

The major findings are as follows: (1) TCMs were better than interferons [IFN] in lowering serum HBeAg and normalizing serum ALT, and equivalent to IFN in clearing serum HBV DNA; (2) TCMs were equivalent to lamivudine [LAM] in lowering serum HBeAg, normalizing serum ALT, and clearing serum HBV DNA; (3) TCMs along with IFN or LAM significantly lowered serum HBeAg and improved the clearance of serum HBV DNA and the normalization of serum ALT, compared with IFN or LAM alone; (4) no serious adverse reactions of TCM were reported in all cited clinical trials. Although the composition of traditional medicines in the TCMs varied among RCTs, about 60% of the used herbs were homologous. Our major overarching conclusion was that TCMs seem effective as alternative remedies for patients with CHB. Other CAM approaches also are widely used, especially in east Asian countries, and there is limited evidence of benefit for some.

Summary

CHB continues to be a major health problem worldwide. Although nucleosides such as tenofovir and entecavir are highly effective at suppression of HBV replication, they are expensive and often beyond reach of patients, especially in resource-limited nations and regions. Many such patients will continue to rely upon CAM and TCM for management of their chronic hepatitis B infections. Additional carefully done, placebo-controlled prospective randomized trials of CAM and TCM in chronic hepatitis B should be performed.

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Acknowledgments

Supported in part by cooperative agreements with the US National Institutes of Health, which provided support for Dr. Bonkovsky: U01 DK065201 and U54 DK083909.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section on Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Molecular Medicine & Translational Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Guqi Wang & Herbert L. Bonkovsky

  2. Management Committee of Shangrao National Chinese Medicine Health Tourism Demonstration Zone, Shangrao, Jiangxi, China

    Guqi Wang

  3. Whole Pharm Biotechnology, Charlotte, NC, USA

    Guqi Wang

  4. Beijing Key Lab Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China

    Peng Liang & Ping Li

  5. Guangzhou Ren Ai Tianhe Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

    Yang Hui Tan

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  1. Guqi Wang
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  2. Peng Liang
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  3. Ping Li
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  4. Yang Hui Tan
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  5. Herbert L. Bonkovsky
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Herbert L. Bonkovsky.

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Drs. Liang, Li, Tan, Wang, and Bonkovsky declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hepatitis B

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Wang, G., Liang, P., Li, P. et al. The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) and Other Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) in the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B. Curr Hepatology Rep 18, 316–321 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-019-00480-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-019-00480-2

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