Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi as a potential therapeutic drug intervention in ulcerative colitis: Mechanisms of action and clinical trials

Table 3 Clinical trials of Gegen Qinlian decoction in ulcerative colitis treatment

Treatments		Dosage of Huangqin	Number of patients in control/intervention	Results (overall response rate), %		Adverse events	Ref.
				Control group	Intervention group
Gegen Qinlian decoction	Control group: Oral administration of 1.5 g/day olsarazine sodium capsules. Intervention group: Modified Gegen Qinlian decoction, oral administration (gegen 15 g, huangqin 15 g, huanglian 15 g, zhigancao 15 g, pugongying 15 g, baijiangcao 30 g, huaihua 15 g, baiji 15 g, wubeizi 30 g, gubaipi 60 g, with modifications according to symptoms). Treatment time: 30 days	15 g	28/32	67.9	90.6	Not reported	[139]
	Control group received enemas combining the following medications: 150 mL saline solution, 0.6 g Xileisan powder, 3.0 g sulfasalazine, 5 mL lidocaine hydrochloride injection, and 0.2 g metronidazole tablets, mixed thoroughly before administration. Intervention group received an additional modified Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (huangqin 30 g, huanglian 30 g, huangbo 30 g, gegen 30 g, yiyiren 30 g, baihuasheshecao 30 g, baijiangcao 20 g, guangmuxiang 20 g, chishao 20 g). Both groups also received oral herbal decoction. Treatment time: 6 weeks	30 g	29/36	55.17	91.67	Control group: Leukopenia/1, mild liver function abnormalities/2. Intervention group: Mild liver function abnormality/1 (mild liver enzymes elevated without a detailed statement)	[140]
	Control group: Oral sulfasalazine 3 g/day. Intervention group: Gegen Qinlian decoction with pugongying enema (pugongying 45 g, gegen 20 g, huangqin 20 g, huanglian 10 g). Treatment time: 45 days	20 g	53/60	75.5	90	Not reported	[141]
	Control group: Oral sulfasalazine tablets 4 g/day + metronidazole 0.4 g enema. Intervention group: Modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 20 g, huangqin 12 g, huanglian 12 g, baitouweng 12 g, fuling 10 g, cheqianzi 10 g, dangshen 10 g, muxiang 10 g, jineijin 10 g, shanzha 10 g, wumei 6 g, shiliupi 6 g, and zhigancao 6 g, adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 2 months	12 g	89/89	80.9	92.14	Control group: Facial flushing with headache/2. Intervention group: 0	[142]
	Control group: Mesalazine suppositories rectally twice daily. Intervention group: Modified Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (gegen 30 g, huanglian 15 g, huangqin 20 g, baijiangcao 15 g, machixian 15 g, xianhecao 15 g, baishao 15 g, huangqi 30 g, dangshen 10 g, zhigancao 5 g). Treatment time: 2 months	20 g	40/42	80.0	95.2	Control group: Gastrointestinal reactions (nausea, vomiting, etc.)/3, mild headache/1. Intervention group: 0	[143]
	Control group: Oral administration of 3-4 g/day of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets. Intervention group: Modified Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (gegen 20 g, huanglian 9 g, huangqin 10 g, pugongying 30 g, yiyiren 60 g, baiji 20 g, diyu 15 g, huaihua 10 g, gancao 5 g, adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 30 days	10 g	60/60	71.7	86.7	Not reported	[144]
Gegen Qinlian decoction plus western medicine	Control group: 0.5% metronidazole 100 mL + sulfasalazine 2.5 g enema. Intervention group: Sulfasalazine 2.5 g + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (gegen 20 g, huangqin 25 g, huanglian 25 g, baiji 30 g, baizhu 18 g, baishao 18 g). Treatment time: 30 days	25 g	23/23	60.9	91.3	Control group: Gastrointestinal discomfort including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and abdominal distension/7, mild dizziness/1. Intervention group: 0	[145]
	Control group: Oral sulfasalazine 1 g/day + sodium succinate hydrocortisone 100 mg enema. Intervention group: Control group therapy + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 30 g, huangqin 15 g, dangshen 12 g, baizhu 12 g, fuling 30 g, yiyiren 30 g, muxiang 9 g, huoxiang 9 g, huanglian 12 g, dongguaren 30 g, gancao 6 g; adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 1-2 weeks	15 g	45/45	76.56	91.11	Not reported	[146]
	Control group: 3 capsules/d of Baluosulindipine sodium capsules via enema + 4 g/day of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets orally. Intervention group: Sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets 4 g/day orally + Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (gegen 20 g, huangqin 25 g, huanglian 25 g, baiji 30 g, baizhu 18 g, baishao 18 g, danggui 15 g). Treatment time: 1 month	25 g	30/32	73.33	93.75	Not reported	[147]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine 1.5 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + oral administration of Gegen Qinlian decoction (gegen 15 g, huangqin 9 g, huanglian 9 g, gancao 6 g). Treatment time: Control group, more than 2 weeks. Intervention group: 21 days	9 g	45/45	84.4	97.7	Not reported	[148]
	Control group: Bacillus subtilis dual-strain live bacteria capsules 0.75 g/day orally. Intervention group: Control group treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (baishao 18 g, baizhu 18 g, baiji 30 g, huanglian 25 g, huangqin 25 g, gegen 20 g). Treatment time: 30 days	25 g	39/40	76.92	92.50	Control group: Gastrointestinal discomfort/2. Intervention group: Mild dizziness/1	[149]
	Control group: Oral sulfasalazine 4 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + oral administration of Gegen Qinlian decoction (gegen 30 g, huanglian 12 g, huangqin 15 g, fuling 30 g, baizhu 12 g, muxiang 9 g, dongguaren 30 g, dangshen 12 g, huoxiang 9 g, yiyiren 30 g, gancao 6 g, adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 1 month	15 g	30/30	76.67	93.33	Control group: Rash/1, leukopenia/1, elevated transaminases/1; intervention group: Fatigue/1, rash/1	[150]
	Control group: Oral administration of 4 g/day sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets. Intervention group: Control group therapy + Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (huanglian 23 g, baizhu 20 g, baishaot 15 g, huangqin 24 g, gegen 17 g, danggui 13 g, baiji 29 g). Treatment time: 1 month	24 g	48/48	83.3	95.9	Not reported	[151]
	Control group: Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis dual-strain live bacteria capsules 1.5 g/day orally. Intervention group: Control group treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (gancao 10 g, huangqin 15 g, huanglian 10 g, gegen 30 g). Treatment time: 1 month	15 g	16/24	75.0	91.7	Not reported	[152]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 1.5 g/day + hydrocortisone succinate sodium 100 mg enema twice daily. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 15 g, baitouweng 15 g, dangshen 15 g, baizhu 15 g, fuling 12 g, yiyiren 12 g, huanglian 9 g, huangqin 9 g, huangbo 9 g, shanyao 12 g, danggui 12 g, muxiang 9 g, yanhusuo 9 g, baiji 9 g, sanqi 9 g, gancao 6 g). Treatment time: 1 month	9 g	41/41	80.49	95.12	Control group: Dizziness and headache/3, nausea and vomiting/3, abdominal distension/1, generalised fatigue/2; intervention group: Nausea and vomiting/1, abdominal distension/1	[153]
	Control group: Mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 3 g/day orally. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction administered orally (huanglian 3 g, huangqin 10 g, gegen 15 g, machixian 15 g, yiyiren 15 g, shaoyao 10 g, baijiangcao 15 g, hongteng 15 g, fried muxiang 10 g, zhigancao10 g, adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 3 months	10 g	30/30	70.00	93.33	Control group: 0. Intervention group: Gastric discomfort/1	[154]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 3 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 15 g, huangqin 15 g, huanglian 5 g, gancao 6 g, zhike 15 g, baizhu 15 g, fuling 10 g). Treatment time: 2 months	15 g	40/40	72.5	92.5	Not reported	[155]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 3 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (yiyiren 30 g, machixian 20 g, chishizhi 20 g, fuling 20 g, gegen, baizhu 15 g, dangshen 15 g, baishao 15 g, muxiang 10 g, chenpi 10 g, huanglian 9 g, huangqin 9 g, gancao 5 g). Treatment time: 1 month	9 g	30/30	80.00	93.33	Not reported	[156]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 1.5 g/day + hydrocortisone succinate sodium 100 mL enema twice daily. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 15 g, baitouweng 15 g, dangshen 15 g, fried baizhu 15 g, yiyiren 12 g, danggui 12 g, shanyao 12 g, fuling 12 g, huanglian 9 g, huangbo 9 g, baiji 9 g, yanhusuo 9 g, sanqi 9 g, muxiang 9 g, huangqin 9 g, gancao 6 g). Treatment time: 1 month	9 g	32/32	84.38	96.88	Not reported	[157]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine sustained-release granules 4 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 15 g, baitouweng 15 g, huangqin 9 g, huanglian 9 g, diyu 9 g, huaihua 9 g, gancao 6 g). Treatment time: 28 days	9 g	31/31	80.65	96.77	Control group: Intestinal obstruction/3, acute intestinal perforation/1, major intestinal hemorrhage/2. Intervention group: Intestinal obstruction/1	[158]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 1 g/day + sodium hydrocortisone succinate 50 mg enema twice daily. Intervention group: Control group therapy + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 5 g, baizhu 5 g, dangshen 5 g, baitouweng 15 g, shanyao 12 g, yiyiren 12 g, fuling 12 g, danggui 12 g, huangbo 9 g, huanglian 9 g, huangqin 9 g, sanqi 9 g, yanhusuo 9 g, muxiang 9 g, baiji 9 g, gancao 6 g). Treatment time: 1 month	9 g	51/51	76.47	92.16	Not reported	[159]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 3 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + Gegen Qinlian decoction enema (gegen 30 g, huanglian 10 g, gancao 6 g, huangqin 10 g). Treatment time: 2 months	10 g	46/48	73.91	91.67	Not reported	[160]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets 1.5 g/day. Intervention group: Control group treatment + modified Gegen Qinlian decoction orally (gegen 15 g, huanglian 9 g, huangqin 9 g, gancao 6 g, adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 1 month	9 g	50/50	80.00	94.00	Control group: Abdominal distension/2, indigestion/1, dizziness and headache/2, fatigue/1, rash/1. Intervention group: Abdominal distension/1, indigestion/2, dizziness and headache/1, fatigue/1	[161]
	Control group: Oral mesalazine enteric-coated tablets (4 g/day during acute phase, 1.5 g/day during maintenance phase). Intervention group: Control group treatment + oral administration of Gegen Qinlian decoction (gegen 15 g, huanglian 9 g, huangqin 9 g, gancao 6 g, adjusted according to symptoms). Treatment time: 2 months	9 g	39/39	82.05	97.43	Not reported	[162]