Meta-analysis of Huangqi (Astragalus membranaceus) and Chinese Yam (Rhizoma Dioscoreae) for Diabetic Nephropathy.

Context • Diabetic nephropathy (DN), also known as diabetic kidney disease (DKD), has caused enormous economic pressure and serious health problems worldwide. TCM practitioners commonly use a combination of Astragalus membranaceus (A. membranaceus) and Rhizoma Dioscoreae (R. Dioscoreae) in the treatment of DN. Research is still lacking on the therapeutic effects of TCM for DN. Objective • The systematic review and meta-analysis intended to evaluate whether the combination of A. membranaceus and R. Dioscoreae together with Western medicine can provide better efficacy against DN than treatment with traditional Western medicine alone, to provide a clinical medical basis for the use of the TCM combination. Design • The research team performed a performed a systematic narrative review by searching the Web of Science, Science Direct, Pubmed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, Wanfang, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, and Biomedical Literature Chinese Database from databases’ inceptions to May 2023. The team used the keywords astragalus and yam, diabetic nephropathy, antidiabetic, and 24-h urinary protein. Setting • The review and meta-analysis occurred at Jiangxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional China and Western Medicine in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. Intervention • To perform a subgroup analysis, the research team divided the studies into two groups based on the TCM treatment course, with one subgroup receiving treatment for ≤4 weeks and the second receiving treatment for >4 weeks, to judge whether a time-dependence existed for the effects of the TCM combination on UP. Outcome Measure • All studies used 24-h urinary protein (UP) as the outcome measure. Results • In all studies, all heterogeneous (P < .01, I² = 94%, the intervention groups had a significantly greater reduction in 24-h UP than the control groups did (P < .05). The heterogeneity for a treatment course of ≤4 weeks was P < .01, I² = 97%, and for a course of >4 weeks was P < .01, I² = 87%. For both ≤4 weeks and >4 weeks, the intervention groups had a significantly greater reduction in 24-h UP than the control groups did, with P < .01 and P < .01, respectively. The protein effect wasn’t time dependent. Conclusions • A. membranaceus and R. Dioscoreae can significantly reduce UP production, and inhibition of UP wasn’t time-dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]