- 2026-07
- Journal of ethnopharmacology 366
- Shao-Sen Li
- Si-Wei Chen
- Di Gan
- Rui Yu
- Tian-Shu Gao
Study Design
- Type
- Meta-Analysis
- Methods
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs examining the efficacy of Chinese herbal compound prescriptions for the treatment of Graves' disease; studies collected from eight major electronic databases up to August 2025; cluster analysis and network pharmacology methods were utilized to pinpoint essential herbs and analyze potential bioactive constituents, targets, and pathways.
- Funding
- Unclear
Ethnopharmacological relevance
As a common cause of thyrotoxicosis, Graves' disease (GD) has shown potential therapeutic advantages when treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Immune dysfunction serves as a pathological basis of GD, and TCM formulations may regulate abnormal immune status; however, robust evidence-based support and clearly defined pharmacological mechanisms are still lacking.Aim of the study
Therefore, this study aims to employ meta-analysis and network pharmacology methods to confirm the therapeutic effects of TCM compound prescriptions on thyroid function and related immune functions, and to explore the potential mechanisms of TCM in treating GD.Materials and methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed focusing on RCTs that examined the efficacy of Chinese herbal compound prescriptions for the treatment of Graves' disease. The studies were collected from eight major electronic databases: the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Sinomed, Wanfang Database, and the VIP Information-Chinese Scientific Journal Database. The search included publications available up to August 2025. Outcomes assessed included TCM syndrome scores, thyroid function-related indicators, immune-related indicators, and adverse reactions associated with Chinese herbal treatments. After conducting the systematic review and meta-analysis, we utilized cluster analysis and network pharmacology methods to pinpoint the essential herbs within Chinese herbal formulas. The potential bioactive constituents, related targets, and pathways of these core herbs were subsequently analyzed.Results
In total, 44 RCTs were included to compare with the group receiving conventional Western medical treatment. The TCM group demonstrated a reduction in TCM syndrome scores (SMD = -1.48, 95% CI: -1.89 to -1.08, P = 0.000), an increased response rate (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.24, P = 0.000; I2 = 60.6%), and varying degrees of improvement in both thyroid function-related indices and immune system-related indices. The incidence of adverse reactions under TCM compound treatment was lower than that in the Western medicine group (RR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.28-0.44, P = 0.000; I2 = 18.8%). Furthermore, six core herbal medicines with the highest frequency of use were identified from the employed TCM formulas: Prunella vulgaris L., Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., Radix Scrophularia, Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, Bupleurum chinense DC. and Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Ultimately, 195 common targets were identified between these six core herbs and Graves' disease. The KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that various pathways, such as the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and HIF-1 signaling pathways, are closely associated with immune function.Conclusion
TCM compound prescriptions may be effective in improving immune function and treating Graves' disease. Nevertheless, additional high-quality randomized controlled trials and mechanistic studies are necessary to confirm these findings.