Phytotherapyin the management of psoriasis: a review of the efficacy and safetyof oral interventions and the pharmacological actionsof the main plants

Shiqiang Denga, Brian H Maya, Anthony L Zhanga, Chuanjian Lub*, Charlie CL Xuea, b*

aSchool of Health Sciences, and Traditional & Complementary Medicine Research Program, Health Innovations Research Institute, RMITUniversity, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia

bGuangdongProvincialAcademy of ChineseMedicalSciences & GuangdongProvincialHospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China

*Corresponding author: Prof Charlie Xue

Head of School, School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering and Health;
Director, Traditional & Complementary Medicine Program, RMIT Health Innovations Research Institute (HIRi);
RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Vic. 3083, Australia
Tel: 00613 99257360, Fax: 00613 99256539
E-mail:

*Corresponding author: Prof Chuanjian Lu

Vice President, GuangdongProvincialAcademy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Vice President, GuangdongProvincialHospital of Chinese Medicine

Guangzhou, P.R. China 510120

Tel: 00862081887233

Email:

Shiqiang Deng and Brian H May made equal contributions to the study.

Online Resource 1

Search terms used for Cochrane Library

Since the focus of the Cochrane library is clinical trials and systematic reviews of clinical trials the group of search terms for ‘study type’ was not used for this search. Otherwise these terms are the same those used for PubMed. The two groups and subgroups of terms are listed below:

І. Clinical condition

Psoriasis OR psoriases OR psoriasiform OR parapsoriasis OR psoriatic OR "Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous" OR "palmoplantar pustulosis" OR "Pustular Psoriasis of Palms and Soles" OR "Pustulosis Palmaris et Plamtaris"

Ⅱ. Intervention

a) "Chinese Medicine, Traditional" OR "Medicine, Chinese Traditional" OR "Chinese Traditional Medicine" OR "Traditional Chinese Medicine" OR "Medicine, Traditional" OR "Medicine, Oriental Traditional" OR "Medicine, Chinese Traditional" OR TCM OR T.C.M. OR "Medicine, Tibetan Traditional" OR "Medicine, Mongolian Traditional" OR "Medicine, East Asian Traditional" OR "Alternative Medicine" OR "Complementary Medicine" OR "Complementary Therapies" OR "Medicine, Ayurvedic"

b) "Chinese Drugs, Plant" OR "Drugs, Chinese Herbal" OR "Chinese Herbal Drugs" OR Ethnopharmacology OR Ethnomedicine OR Ethnobotany OR "Medicine, Kampo" OR Kanpo OR Phytotherapy OR "Medicine, Herbal" OR Herbology OR "Plants, Medicinal" OR "Plant Preparations" OR "Plant Extracts" OR "Materia Medica" OR "Single Prescription" OR Herbs OR "Herbal Medicine"

c) Acupuncture OR "Acupuncture Therapy" OR "Therapy, Acupuncture" OR "Acupuncture Points" OR Meridians OR Electroacupuncture OR Moxibustion OR Auriculotherapy OR "Acupuncture, Ear" OR "Auricular Acupuncture" OR "Catgut embedding"

The subgroups of group 2 were combined with ‘OR’ then groups 1 and 2 were combined with ‘AND’. The sub-databases for ‘Clinical trials’ and ‘Cochrane Reviews’ were searched and the results were downloaded to a dedicated Endnote library.

Online Resource 2

Funnel plot on PT formulae versus acitretin (PASI score)

PT: Phytotherapy; SE: standard error; MD: mean deviation
Funnel plot on PT formulae versus acitretin (Clinical efficacy)

PT: Phytotherapy; SE: standard error; RR: relative risk

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