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This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether a traditional Chinese medicine approach known as Kidney-tonifying and Blood-activating Therapy could benefit people with vascular dementia. Researchers searched eight electronic databases up to January 2026, identifying 38 randomised controlled trials involving a total of 3,357 participants. The therapy was assessed either as a standalone treatment or in combination with conventional Western medicine.
Results showed that Kidney-tonifying and Blood-activating Therapy significantly improved clinical effectiveness rates compared to Western medicine treatment alone. Cognitive assessments also favoured the therapy, with meaningful improvements seen in Mini-Mental State Examination and Hasegawa Dementia Scale scores, as well as lower Clinical Dementia Rating scores following treatment. Additionally, participants receiving the therapy had higher serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor — proteins involved in supporting brain cell survival and function — suggesting a possible neuroprotective mechanism.
On the question of safety, adverse event rates did not differ significantly between the two groups, and no serious adverse events or deaths were recorded. However, the authors cautioned that the overall safety profile remains uncertain, partly due to the variable quality of the included trials. The authors called for further large-scale, multicentre, high-quality randomised controlled trials to confirm these findings.
Conclusion: Kidney-tonifying and Blood-activating Therapy appears to be a potentially effective approach for improving cognitive function in vascular dementia, though stronger evidence from rigorous trials is needed before firm clinical recommendations can be made.
Source: Zhou M, Che M, Zhang C and colleagues. Frontiers in neurology (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42979072) · doi:10.3389/fneur.2026.1901245
