Evidence-based Therapies of Chinese Medicine for Chronic Urticaria: Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going?

Overview

Journal Chin J Integr Med

Date 2016 Dec 1

PMID 27900606

Citations 5

Authors

Yong-Ming Wang

Lin Du

Yuan-Jie Zhu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chronic urticaria (CU) is characterized by repeated occurrence of wheals or itching for more than 6 weeks. When urticaria symptoms repeatedly occur despite taking Western medicines such as antihistamines, Chinese medicine (CM) has been shown to relieve symptoms and prevent recurrence. However, the lack of robust evidence from the evidence-based medicine perspective is hindering acceptance of CM by the Western medicine community. In recent years, more and more evidence-based studies of CU treatment by CM were report in English literatures, including acupuncture, herbs, and food, although some of evidence is still with low quality. These progress in CM treatment of CU will inspire high quality evidences via randomized, controlled trials assessing effificacy and safety of CM treatment of CU.

Citing Articles

Urticaria in China: incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years compared with G20 countries: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2021.

Zhao W, Yang H, Liu J, Jin X, Xie X, Liang Y Arch Dermatol Res. 2025; 317(1):548.

PMID: 40072594 DOI: 10.1007/s00403-025-04051-y.

Combination of H1 and H2 Histamine Receptor Antagonists: Current Knowledge and Perspectives of a Classic Treatment Strategy.

Kou E, Zhang X, Dong B, Wang B, Zhu Y Life (Basel). 2024; 14(2).

PMID: 38398673 PMC: 10890042. DOI: 10.3390/life14020164.

Acupuncture for Patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Pilot Trial.

Shi Y, Yu S, Zheng H, Zheng Q, Zhou S, Huang Y Chin J Integr Med. 2023; 29(10):924-931.

PMID: 37561282 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3741-x.

Acupuncture combined with pricking and cupping therapy is effective in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Shi Y, Guo H, Du Y, Wang J, Shang Y, Wang Y Am J Transl Res. 2023; 15(2):1195-1203.

PMID: 36915747 PMC: 10006817.

Efficacy of Fangfeng Tongsheng Granule Combined with Levocetirizine in the Treatment of Chronic Urticaria and Its Effect on Serum Complement, IL-4, IgE, and IFN- Levels in Patients.

Xu D, Li Z, Wang Y Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022; 2022:4012416.

PMID: 36212973 PMC: 9546688. DOI: 10.1155/2022/4012416.

References

Park J, Lee M, Chung K, Ko D, Chung H . Live bee acupuncture (Bong-Chim) dermatitis: dermatitis due to live bee acupuncture therapy in Korea. Int J Dermatol. 2013; 52(12):1519-24. DOI: 10.1111/ijd.12161. View

Yao Q, Ye Y, Liu X, Qin Z, Liu Z . Acupuncture for patients with chronic urticaria: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open. 2015; 5(9):e007704. PMC: 4563229. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-007704. View

Yao Q, Li S, Liu X, Qin Z, Liu Z . The Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture for Patients with Chronic Urticaria: A Systematic Review. Biomed Res Int. 2016; 2016:5191729. PMC: 4897793. DOI: 10.1155/2016/5191729. View

Yan M, Ye F, Zhang Y, Cai X, Fu Y, Yang X . Optimization model research on efficacy in treatment of chronic urticaria by Chinese and Western medicine based on a genetic algorithm. J Tradit Chin Med. 2013; 33(1):60-4. DOI: 10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60101-6. View

Chen C, Yu H . Acupuncture treatment of urticaria. Arch Dermatol. 1998; 134(11):1397-9. DOI: 10.1001/archderm.134.11.1397. View

Chen H, Lin Y, Huang J, Chen Y . Chinese herbal medicine network and core treatments for allergic skin diseases: Implications from a nationwide database. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015; 168:260-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.04.002. View

Yamamura K, Kato S, Kato T, Mizoguchi Y, Monji A, Kanba S . Anti-allergic mechanisms of Japanese herbal medicine, yokukansan on mast cells. J Dermatol. 2014; 41(9):808-14. DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.12578. View

Chien P, Tseng Y, Hsu Y, Lai Y, Weng S . Frequency and pattern of Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions for urticaria in Taiwan during 2009: analysis of the national health insurance database. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013; 13:209. PMC: 3751558. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-209. View

Mendelson M, Bernstein J, Gabriel S, Balp M, Tian H, Vietri J . Patient-reported impact of chronic urticaria compared with psoriasis in theUnited States. J Dermatolog Treat. 2016; 28(3):229-236. DOI: 10.1080/09546634.2016.1227421. View

10.

Kim J, Park S . Retrospective case series on Gwakhyangjeonggi-san prescribed to patients with chronic urticaria. Complement Ther Med. 2015; 23(6):806-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2015.09.006. View

11.

Kato S, Kato T, Nishie H, Nishima S, Iwanaga T, Monji A . Successful treatment of chronic urticaria with a Japanese herbal medicine, yokukansan. J Dermatol. 2010; 37(12):1066-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2010.00937.x. View

12.

Zuberbier T, Aberer W, Asero R, Bindslev-Jensen C, Brzoza Z, Canonica G . The EAACI/GA(2) LEN/EDF/WAO Guideline for the definition, classification, diagnosis, and management of urticaria: the 2013 revision and update. Allergy. 2014; 69(7):868-87. DOI: 10.1111/all.12313. View

13.

Hsu M, Li L . Prevalence of food avoidance and food allergy in Chinese patients with chronic urticaria. Br J Dermatol. 2011; 166(4):747-52. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10733.x. View

14.

Ma C, Sivamani R . Acupuncture as a Treatment Modality in Dermatology: A Systematic Review. J Altern Complement Med. 2015; 21(9):520-9. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2014.0274. View

15.

Bernstein J, Lang D, Khan D, Craig T, Dreyfus D, Hsieh F . The diagnosis and management of acute and chronic urticaria: 2014 update. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014; 133(5):1270-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2014.02.036. View

16.

Shichijo K, Saito H . Effect of Chinese herbal medicines and disodium cromoglycate on IgE-dependent histamine release from mouse cultured mast cells. Int J Immunopharmacol. 1998; 19(11-12):677-82. DOI: 10.1016/s0192-0561(97)00097-0. View

17.

Greaves M . Chronic urticaria. N Engl J Med. 1995; 332(26):1767-72. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199506293322608. View