Efficacy of traditional medicine in the management of sickle cell disease: a scoping review of current evidence
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Danish Javed
,
Amit Kumar Rai
,
Athulya TH
Abstract
Introduction
While conventional medicine (CM) has improved outcomes for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), issues with accessibility, affordability, and potential adverse effects limit its widespread use. As a result, many patients and caregivers turn to traditional medicine (TM) as an alternative approach to managing SCD. This scoping review aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy, safety, and potential mechanisms of action of TM in SCD, while exploring its integration with CM.
Content
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and AYUSH Research Portal. Clinical trials, observational studies, in vitro and in vivo studies, and ethnopharmacological surveys investigating TM interventions in SCD were included.
Summary and Outlook
Of the 27 selected studies, 11 were in vitro, four in vivo, six clinical trials, and six qualitative surveys. Several medicinal plants demonstrated promising anti-sickling, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. Formulations such as Niprisan®, Ciklavit®, and T-AYU-HM™ Premium showed potential in reducing vaso-occlusive crises and improving hematological parameters. However, limitations include variability in herbal formulations, lack of standardization, and inadequate RCTs. While preliminary findings are promising, further well-designed RCTs are needed to establish the efficacy of TM in SCD. Integrating evidence-based TM with CM options could provide a holistic and patient-centered strategy for SCD.
Funding source: None declared
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Research Ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: DJ: Conceptualization, Methodology, Screening, Data Extraction, Writing—original draft. AKR: Methodology, Screening, Data Extraction, Writing—original draft. ATH: Study search. STM: Study search. AA: Writing—review & editing. GD: Writing—review & editing. All authors provided feedback on the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI, and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
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Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: Not applicable.
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