TCM injections plus conventional medicine show promise for viral pneumonia
Photo by Ian Talmacs / Unsplash
Key Takeaway
Specific TCM injections combined with conventional medicine may improve viral pneumonia outcomes, with Reduning showing broad effectiveness.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 83 randomized controlled trials involving 8,678 patients with viral pneumonia evaluated the effectiveness of heat-clearing and detoxifying traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMIs) combined with conventional medicine (CM). The study compared seven TCMIs, including Reduning, Xiyanping, and Tanreqing injections, against CM alone.
Results indicated that Reduning injection plus CM was the most effective treatment for shortening cough disappearance time, hospitalization time, and reducing interleukin-6 levels. It also increased the cluster of differentiation 4/cluster of differentiation 8 ratio. Qingkailing injection plus CM showed the best results for improving total clinical efficacy rate and shortening antipyretic time.
Yanhuning injection plus CM proved most effective at alleviating asthma and reducing tumor necrosis factor alpha and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels. The analysis also noted that Reduning plus CM significantly reduced adverse events compared to CM alone.
The study highlights the potential of specific TCMIs when used alongside conventional treatment for viral pneumonia. However, the certainty of evidence was not reported, and results indicate associations based on comparative effectiveness, not direct causation.
View Original Abstract ↓
BackgroundThe history of traditional Chinese medicine is extensive and well-documented. Various traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMIs) with heat-clearing and detoxifying properties, developed from classical ancient prescriptions, have been widely used in the treatment of viral pneumonia. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of various heat-clearing and detoxifying TCMIs for the treatment of viral pneumonia through a network meta-analysis.MethodsWe searched eight databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined heat-clearing and detoxifying TCMIs combined with conventional medicine (CM) for the treatment of viral pneumonia, published until 12 December 2025. We used R software for the Bayesian network meta-analysis.ResultsOur study included 83 RCTs with a total sample size of 8,678 participants, representing seven different types of heat-clearing and detoxifying TCMIs: Reduning Injection (RDN), Xiyanping Injection (XYP), Yanhuning Injection (YHN), Tanreqing Injection (TRQ), Xuebijing Injection (XBJ), Shuanghuanglian Injection (SHL), and Qingkailing Injection (QKL). RDN + CM was the most effective treatment for shortening cough disappearance and hospitalization time, reducing interleukin-6 level, and increasing the cluster of differentiation 4/cluster of differentiation 8 ratio. Additionally, RDN + CM also showed a significant reduction in adverse events compared to CM. QKL + CM demonstrated the best results in improving the total clinical efficacy rate, shortening antipyretic time, and decreasing the duration of lung rales. Meanwhile, YHN + CM proved most effective at alleviating asthma, while also reducing levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.ConclusionPatients with viral pneumonia benefit significantly from the use of heat-clearing and detoxifying TCMIs along with CM. Based on patient outcomes, RDN shows considerable promise and may be the preferred choice of TCMIs for the treatment of viral pneumonia.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42024610013.
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