Integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines (Eff-iEC): A demonstration study.

Ye LUO; Xu ZHAO; Ruilin WANG; Xiaoyan ZHAN; Tianyi ZHANG; Tingting HE; Jing JING; Jianyu LI; Fengyi LI; Ping ZHANG; Junling CAO; Jinfa TANG; Zhijie MA; Tingming SHEN; Shuanglin QIN; Ming YANG; Jun ZHAO; Zhaofang BAI; Jiabo WANG; Aiguo DAI; Xiangmei CHEN; Xiaohe XIAO

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Integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines (Eff-iEC): A demonstration study.

Author: Ye LUO ¹ ; Xu ZHAO ² ; Ruilin WANG ² ; Xiaoyan ZHAN ² ; Tianyi ZHANG ² ; Tingting HE ² ; Jing JING ² ; Jianyu LI ¹ ; Fengyi LI ² ; Ping ZHANG ² ; Junling CAO ¹ ; Jinfa TANG ³ ; Zhijie MA ⁴ ; Tingming SHEN ⁵ ; Shuanglin QIN ⁶ ; Ming YANG ⁷ ; Jun ZHAO ² ; Zhaofang BAI ² ; Jiabo WANG ⁸ ; Aiguo DAI ⁶ ; Xiangmei CHEN ⁹ ; Xiaohe XIAO ²
Author Information

1. School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
2. Department of Hepatology, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
3. The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
4. Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
5. Ningde Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Fujian Province, Ningde 352100, China.
6. Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China.
7. Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China.
8. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
9. State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing 100853, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Anti-hepatic fibrosis; Chinese patent medicines; Clinical experience; Clinical trials; Demonstration study; Experimental research; Integrated evidence chain; TCM effectiveness evaluation
From: Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):909-918
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Addressing the enduring challenge of evaluating traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of TCMs (Eff-iEC) has emerged. This paper explored its capacity through a demonstration study that evaluated the effectiveness evidence of six commonly used anti-hepatic fibrosis Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), including Biejiajian Pill (BP), Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP), Biejia Ruangan Compound (BRC), Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC), Anluo Huaxian Pill (AHP), and Heluo Shugan Capsule (HSC), using both Eff-iEC and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The recognition of these CPMs within the TCM academic community was also assessed through their inclusion in relevant medical documents. Results showed that the evidence of BRC and FHC received higher assessments in both Eff-iEC and GRADE system, while the assessments for others varied. Analysis of community recognition revealed that Eff-iEC more accurately reflects the clinical value of these CPMs, exhibiting superior evaluative capabilities. By breaking through the conventional pattern of TCMs effectiveness evaluation, Eff-iEC offers a novel epistemology that better aligns with the clinical realities and reasoning of TCMs, providing a coherent methodology for clinical decision-making, new drug evaluations, and health policy formulation.