Neuroprotective effects of traditional Chinese medicine in treating glaucoma:A Meta-analysis

AIM:To assess the neuroprotective effects of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of glaucoma. METHODS:The electronic bibliographic databases were searched,including Medline(1966-01/2011-03), EMbase(1996-2010), Cochrane library, Wanfang database,VIP(1999-2011), CNKI, the radomized controlled trials of TCM treatment compares with Western medicine treatment of the glaucoma were assembled Data were extracted and evaluated by two reciewers independently with a designed extraction formation by Meta-analysis based on the Cochrane net suggestion. RESULTS:A total of 8 theses written in Chinese were retrieved,including 719 patients.The results of Meta-analysis showed the combination therapy of TCM and western therapy significant improves the effect of neuroprotection(P<0.01). In order to boost and qualify the curative effects of the aucupuncture, more precise samples should be designed and a multi-research central need to be bulit. however, according to the existing cases, the evidences of the effectiveness are weak due to the limited numbers of samples and the methodological defect. CONCLUSION: The existing evidence supports the combination therapy of TCM and western medicine stronger than the only used of western medicine(P<0.01). But owing to the limited studies and few number of TCM treatment for glaucoma's neuroprotection, the large sample andmulticenter random ized controlled trial is still needed to verify the superiority of TCM for neuroproctive effect of glaucoma's teatment.