SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2025
Meta-analysis of Xiaoyao formula as an adjuvant therapy for treating postpartum depression.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Efficacy and safety of modifiedFrontiers in pharmacology · 2026Pooled it
- Safety of Postpartum Herbal Medicine in Primary Care Korean Medicine Clinics: Protocol for a Prospective, Multicenter, Registry-Based Observational Study.JMIR research protocols · 2026Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Xiaoyao Powder/Pill, as a classical Chinese herbal formula, has been widely used for treating depression. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Xiaoyao formula (XYF) as an adjuvant therapy for treating postpartum depression. Methods: We searched studies indexed in international databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed) and Chinese databases (SinoMed, CNKI, and Wanfang). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of XYF in combination with Western therapy compared to Western therapy alone for treating postpartum depression were eligible. The total response rate was defined as a reduction of more than 25% in depression scores, while clinical recovery was defined as a reduction of more than 75% in depression scores. Results: Our analysis included ten RCTs comprising 810 women. The combination of XYF and Western therapy led to a significant improvement in the total response rate (risk ratios [RR] 1.17; confidence intervals [CI] 1.08-1.26) and the clinical recovery rate (RR 1.56; 95% CI 1.27-1.91) compared to Western therapy alone. Additionally, XYF as an adjuvant therapy also significantly decreased Hamilton Depression Scale scores (standard mean difference [SMD] -1.69; 95% CI -2.37 to -1.01). Conclusions: Adjuvant treatment with XYF can effectively alleviate depression in postpartum women. However, further well-designed RCTs are necessary to validate these findings, as the current evidence remains uncertain.
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