Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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META-ANALYSIS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF COMBINED SHUGAN JIEYU CAPSULES AND SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS VERSUS MONOTHERAPY WITH SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION

MINGXIU YU 1,2, WEI JI 2, YUANYUAN ZHANG 2, ZHIWEN SI 2, XIAOWEN YU 3, ZHENYUAN JIANG 3, ZHONGLIN WANG 3*

1 The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
2 Deparment of Ultrasound, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
3 Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China

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Shugan Jieyu Capsule, a traditional Chinese medicine, has recently gained attention for its potential mood-enhancing effects. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of combining Shugan Jieyu Capsule with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) versus SSRIs alone in treating depression. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published between January 2010 and July 2024. Ten studies were included, involving 454 patients treated with SSRIs alone and 478 treated with the combination therapy. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane Handbook guidelines. Results showed that the experimental group (Shugan Jieyu + SSRIs) had significantly lower Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores compared to the control group (OR = -4.66, 95% CI = -6.52 to -2.81, p < 0.00001), along with a higher treatment response rate (OR = 3.26, 95% CI = 2.08 to 5.13, p < 0.00001). These findings suggest that the addition of Shugan Jieyu Capsule to SSRI therapy may enhance antidepressant efficacy.