Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in allergic rhinitis: a meta-analysis

Abstract Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) in treating Allergic Rhinitis (AR) through meta-analysis. Methods A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model to explore the impact of CHM on response rates, nasal symptom scores, quality of life, blood Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and adverse reactions. Results A total of 1,326 articles were retrieved, of which 12 studies were included. The meta-analysis showed that the response rate in the experimental group was higher than in the control group (p < 0.001). The adverse reaction rate was lower in the experimental group compared with the control group (p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis by publication year indicated that studies published in 2024 and 2023 showed lower nasal congestion scores in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.0001); nasal itching scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis by age revealed that the 30+ and 40+ age groups had lower nasal itching scores, sneezing scores and rhinorrhea scores in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.0001). Blood IgE levels were also lower in the experimental group compared with the control group (p = 0.002). Scores for the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) were lower in the experimental group (p < 0.0001). Conclusion The current evidence suggests that CHM can enhance the efficacy of AR treatment, improve patients' quality of life, and result in a lower rate of adverse reactions. Level of evidence I.