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Efficacy of ginseng oral administration and ginseng injections on cancer-related fatigue: A meta-analysis.

  • 2022-11-18
  • Medicine 101(46)
    • Huijing Li
    • Tianwen Hou
    • Shijiang Sun
    • Jing Huang
    • Xueqi Wang
    • Xi Liang
    • Tianhe Zhao
    • Jingnan Hu
    • Jianli Ge
    • Haiyan Bai
    • Jianming He

Study Design

Type
Meta-Analysis
Population
patients with cancer-related fatigue
Methods
Systematic review and meta-analysis extracting data from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from inception to May 24, 2021; two reviewers independently extracted data

Background

Up to 90% of patients who are under the active treatment suffer from cancer-related fatigue (CRF). CRF can persist about 10 years after diagnosis and/or treatment. Accumulating reports support that ginseng and ginseng injections are both potential drugs for the treatment of CRF but few studies put them together for analysis.

Methods

Two reviewers independently extracted data in 3 databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from their inception to May 24, 2021. The primary outcome was the effect of ginseng in alleviating CRF. The secondary outcome was ginseng in alleviating emotional or cognitive fatigue. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was employed.

Results

Twelve studies were included to evaluate efficacy of ginseng oral administration and ginseng injections on CRF. The pooled SMD was 0.40 (95% confidence Interval [95% CI] [0.29-0.51], P < .00001). Six studies were included to evaluate efficacy of ginseng oral administration on CRF and the SMD was 0.29 (95% CI [0.15-0.42], P < .0001). The order was 2000 mg/d, 3000 mg/d, 1000 mg/d and placebo from high efficacy to low. Ten studies were included to evaluate efficacy of ginseng injections on CRF and the SMD was 0.74 (95% CI [0.59-0.90], P < .00001). Emotional fatigue was reported in 4 studies, ginseng oral administration in 2 and ginseng injections in 2. The pooled SMD was 0.12 (95% CI [-0.04 to 0.29], P = .15). Cognitive fatigue was reported in 4 studies focusing on ginseng injections and the SMD was 0.72 (95% CI [0.48-0.96], P < .00001).

Conclusion

Ginseng can improve CRF. Intravenous injection might be better than oral administration. Ginseng injections may alleviate cognitive fatigue. No evidence was found to support that ginseng could alleviate emotional fatigue.

Research Insights

  • Ginseng→Reduced Cancer-Related Fatigue

    The order was 2000 mg/d, 3000 mg/d, 1000 mg/d and placebo from high efficacy to low. ... Six studies were included to evaluate efficacy of ginseng oral administration on CRF and the SMD was 0.29 (95% CI [0.15-0.42], P < .0001).

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    2000 mg/day, 3000 mg/day, 1000 mg/day
  • Ginseng→Reduced Emotional Fatigue

    Emotional fatigue was reported in 4 studies, ginseng oral administration in 2 and ginseng injections in 2. The pooled SMD was 0.12 (95% CI [-0.04 to 0.29], P = .15).

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    2000 mg/day, 3000 mg/day, 1000 mg/day
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