Herbal Medicine Treatment for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Table 1

Characteristics of the included studies.

Author, year	Sample size (E/C)	Age (mean or range)	Diagnosis of ASD	Experimental intervention	Control intervention	Period	Study design	Outcomes
Ainuer et al., 2015 [14]	21 (11/10)	E: 3–8 years; C: 3–8 years	Not reported of specific diagnostic criteria	(1) Jiawei Wendan decoction (b.i.d.); (2) Control intervention	ABA training and guided education	1 month	HMs + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER
Hasanzadeh et al., 2012 [15]	47 (23/24)	E: 6.04 ± 1.61 (4–10) years; C: 6.76 ± 2.60 (4–11) years	DSM-IV	(1) Ginkgo biloba (40 mg b.i.d. for patients under 30 kg and 60 mg b.i.d. for patients above 30 kg); (2) Risperidone (1–3 mg/day)	(1) Placebo; (2) Risperidone (1–3 mg/day)	10 weeks	HMs + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) ABC-C score
Jiang et al., 2016 [16]	60 (30/30)	E: 5.93 ± 2.28 years; C: 6.10 ± 2.26 years	DSM-IV	(1) Modified Yinhuo decoction (150 cc b.i.d.); (2) Control intervention	Training	3 months (3 courses of 30 days each)	HMs + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER; (2) CARS score
Liang et al., 2015 [17]	67 (33/34)	E: 3.36–4.28 years; C: 3.37–4.29 years	DSM-IV, ICD-10	(1) Suhe Ditan decoction: Suhexiang wan (0.75 g b.i.d.) + Ditan decoction (b.i.d.); (2) Acupuncture; (3) Control intervention	Rehabilitation training	3 months	HMs + integrative therapy + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER
Qiao et al., 2015 [18]	84 (42/42)	E: 3.7 ± 2.18 years; C: 3.8 ± 1.74 years	ICD-10, TCM diagnostic criteria	(1) Jingshuaikang capsule, Congnaoyizhi capsule; (2) Acupuncture; (3) Acupoint injection (Compound Danshen Injection 2 mL, Compound Musk Injection 2 mL); (4) Control intervention	Education training	3 months	HMs + integrative therapy + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER
Sun et al., 2016 [19]	59 (29/30)	E: 2–6 (6.5) years; C: 2–6 (6.5) years	ICD-10, TCM diagnostic criteria	(1) Jingshuaikang capsule 0.3 g (2-3 years: 0.9 g t.i.d., 3–7 years: 1.2 g t.i.d., over 7 years: 1.5–1.8 g t.i.d.); or with Congnaoyizhi capsule 0.3 g (2-3 years: 0.9 g t.i.d., over 3 years: 1.2 g t.i.d.); (2) Acupuncture; (3) Acupoint injection (Compound Danshen Injection 2 mL, Compound Musk Injection 2 mL); (4) Auricular acupoint massage; (5) Acupoint embedding; (6) Control intervention	Rehabilitation	3 months	HMs + integrative therapy + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER; (2) ABC score; (3) CARS score; (4) Gesell child growth scale
Yan and Lei, 2007 [20]	37 (25/12)	E: 3–8 years; C: 3–8 years	Observed by ABC behavior scale, Klinefelter behavior scale, CARS scale, clinical manifestations of autistic children	(1) Jiawei Wendan decoction (b.i.d.); (2) Control intervention	ABA training and guided education	1 month	HMs + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER
Zhao and Wang, 2014 [21]	60 (30/30)	E: 1.8–6 years; C: 2.6–6 years	ICD-10, TCM diagnostic criteria	(1) Jingshuaikang capsule 0.3 g (2.5–3 years: 0.6 g t.i.d., 3–6 years: 0.9 g t.i.d.) and Congnaoyizhi capsule 0.3 g (2.5–3 years: 0.6 g t.i.d., 3–6 years: 0.9 g t.i.d.); (2) Acupuncture; (3) Control intervention	Rehabilitation training	3 months	HMs + integrative therapy + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER
Zhao et al., 2014 [22]	72 (36/36)	E: 2.7–6.6 years; C: 2.3–6 years	DSM-IV and ICD-10	(1) Canrongjiannao capsule 0.3 g (2.5–3 years: 0.6 g t.i.d., 3–6 year: 0.9 g t.i.d.); (2) Acupuncture; (3) Chuna treatment; (4) Control intervention	Language and behavior training	3 months	HMs + integrative therapy + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER
Zhou et al., 2015 [23]	60 (30/30)	E: 4.75 ± 1.03 years; C: 4.98 ± 1.99 years	DSM-IV	(1) Supplemented Lizhong decoction (150 cc t.i.d.); (2) Control intervention	Education, behavioral therapy	6 months (1 course: 21-day treatment period + 9-day rest period; total 6 courses)	HMs + conventional therapy versus conventional therapy	(1) TER; (2) CARS score

Note. E: experimental group; C: control group; b.i.d.: twice a day; ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis; HMs: herbal medicines; TER: total effective rate; ABC-C: Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community; CARS: Childhood Autism Rating Scale; ICD-10: International Classification of Diseases version 10; TCM: Traditional Chinese Medicine; t.i.d.: three times a day; ABC: Autism Behavior Checklist.