Cochrane · systematic review · CD004504

Herbal medicine for low‐back pain

Oltean, H, Robbins, C, van Tulder, MW, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2014 · Cochrane Library

Back and NeckAMSTAR 2: not assessed

SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.

Questions

current version

GRADE rated

No studies

Included studies

No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 6 · 60%Low 2 · 20%Moderate 2 · 20%High 0 · 0%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Questions and results

Summary of findings table 1: Brazilian arnica extract compared to placebo for patients with non‐specific chronic back pain or soft tissue pain

Population: patients with back pain

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain reduction based on Pain VAS instrument 0‐100 scale Summary of findings table 1: Brazilian arnica extract vs placebo	no estimate extracted	20 participants	Very low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 2: Topical capsaicin cream or plaster compared to placebo for patients with non‐specific chronic back pain or soft tissue pain

Population: patients with chronic LBP or soft tissue pain

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain perception according to the Pain VAS scale 0‐10 Summary of findings table 2: Topical capsaicin cream or plaster vs placebo	no estimate extracted	755 participants	Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 3: Topical capsaicin cream compared with placebo for patients with acute non‐specific LBP

Population: patients with acute mechanical LBP

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain evaluation on a 10 cm linear scale Summary of findings table 3: Topical capsaicin cream vs placebo	no estimate extracted	40 participants	Very low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 4: H. procumbens compared to placebo for non‐specific chronic back pain

Population: patients with chronic back pain

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Arhus pain index scale 0‐130 Summary of findings table 4: H. procumbens vs placebo	no estimate extracted	315 participants	Low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 5: H. procumbens extract compared to Vioxx® for non‐specific chronic LBP

Population: patients with chronic LBP

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Modified Arhus Index Scale 0‐120 Summary of findings table 5: H. procumbens extract vs Vioxx®	no estimate extracted	88 participants	Very low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 6: Willow bark extract compared to placebo for non‐specific chronic LBP

Population: patients with chronic LBP

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain VAS Scale 0‐10 Summary of findings table 6: Willow bark extract vs placebo	no estimate extracted	261 participants	Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 7: Willow bark extract compared to rofecoxib for non‐specific chronic LBP

Population: patients with chronic LBP

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Arhus Index Scale 0‐130 Pain VAS Scale 0‐10 Summary of findings table 7: Willow bark extract vs rofecoxib	no estimate extracted	228 participants	Very low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 8: Comfrey root extract compared to placebo for acute lower and upper back non‐specific pain

Population: patients with acute lower and upper back pain

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain VAS sum (decrease) on active standardized movement (mm) Summary of findings table 8: Comfrey root extract vs placebo	no estimate extracted	120 participants	Low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 9: Lavender oil acupressure massage and acupoint stimulation compared to usual treatment for acute non‐specific LBP

Population: patients with acute LBP

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain VAS 0‐10 scale Summary of findings table 9: Lavender oil acupressure massage and acupoint stimulation vs usual treatment	no estimate extracted	61 participants	Very low Downgraded: risk of bias

Summary of findings table 10: Spiroflor SRL compared to CCC for chronic non‐specific LBP

Population: patients with acute and chronic LBP

1 question

Outcome	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Pain VAS 0‐100 scale Summary of findings table 10: Spiroflor SRL vs CCC	no estimate extracted	161 participants	Very low Downgraded: risk of bias