Efficacy of Gegen Qinlian decoction plus metformin for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - Takeaways - MDSpire

Effectiveness of Combining Gegen Qinlian Decoction with Metformin in Managing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

  • By

  • Hongyang He

  • Xiaocan Gai

  • Zhiheng Qiao

  • Guoliang Ji

  • Shumin Liu

  • July 17, 2026

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  • 1

    Gegen Qinlian Decoction (GQD) is used as an adjunctive therapy to metformin for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

  • 2

    The systematic review included eight randomized controlled trials with a total of 725 participants comparing GQD plus metformin to metformin alone.

  • 3

    GQD plus metformin did not significantly reduce glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) compared to metformin alone, with a mean difference of -1.92.

  • 4

    Statistically significant reductions were observed for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-hour postprandial glucose (2hPG) with GQD plus metformin.

  • 5

    The certainty of evidence was rated as very low due to risk of bias, inconsistency, and imprecision across the included trials.

Original Source(s)

Efficacy of Gegen Qinlian decoction plus metformin for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

  • by Hongyang He, Xiaocan Gai, Zhiheng Qiao, Guoliang Ji, Shumin Liu

  • July 17, 2026

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