Efficacy and safety of Yinchenwuling powder for hyperlipidemia: a systematic review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Objective To assess the clinical effectiveness and adverse effects of Yinchenwuling powder (YCWLP) in the treatment of hyperlipidemia using Meta-analysis. Methods Seven electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials designed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of YCWLP for hyperlipidemia published in any language prior to February 2015. Two reviewers independently identified articles, extracted data, assessed quality, and cross-checked the results. Revman 5.3 was used to analyze the data. Results Only five randomized controlled trials with poor methodology were included in the analysis. The five trials compared YCWLP with conventional lipid-lowering drugs. Meta-analysis indicated that YCWLP was more effective at the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol without serious adverse effects. However, it was not more effective than lipid-lowering drugs in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and improving hemorheology. Conclusion YCWLP appeared to improve lipid levels. However, given the high risk of bias among the trials, we could not conclude that YCWLP was beneficial to patients with hyperlipidemia. More rigorous trials are required to provide stronger evidence for the conclusion.