Traditional Indian Medicine: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Outcome in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases

Abstract

Background: A fast developing liver condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely related to the metabolic syndrome. Since there are currently no particular pharmaceutical treatments for NAFLD, lifestyle and dietary changes are the main focus of current treatment. Over centuries of use, a number of substances mentioned in Ayurvedic writings have demonstrated positive effects in patients. However, there is disagreement among the results of several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) about the effectiveness of herbs in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the data to assess the efficacy and security of medications with Ayurvedic references. Methodology: To find pertinent studies, the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library, and ARP were searched up to May 2022. Utilizing a modified Jadad Scale, the studies' quality was assessed. Using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, the risk of bias was evaluated. The search turned up 1352 studies, but only 18 of them were ultimately assessed. A statistical analysis revealed a substantial decrease in the levels of AST (SMD: -0.91, 95% CI: -1.04, 0.08), ALT (SMD = 0.91; 95% CI: 1.53, 0.28; P 0.00001), and fatty liver (RR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.52, 3.86).Conclusion: Based on the scant information that is currently available, Ayurvedic medicines have shown effective in treating NAFLD. To produce better evidence, more high-quality RCTs with sizable sample numbers and standardized Ayurvedic medications that take histological outcomes into account must be done.