Compiled by Joseph Brady MSTCM, L.Ac., Dipl. OM

Contact: taichiproj@earthlink.net | joe.brady@faculty.ccmu.edu

1529 York Street, Denver, CO 80206

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Cheryl Wheeler and Jacqui Shumway for their invaluable assistance in verifying and formatting references. Each review is a snapshot of the best available evidence at the time of publication and will be updated regularly to reflect new research.

Author’s Note on AI Use

Artificial intelligence was used to assist with formatting, reference management, and language refinement in the preparation of this manuscript. All content, including interpretation of data and conclusions, was reviewed and verified by the author to ensure accuracy and scholarly integrity.

Chinese Medicine for Asthma: Evidence Review

Asthma, a chronic inflammatory airway disorder, affects over 25 million Americans and imposes significant health and economic burdens. Conventional treatments—such as inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators—are effective but do not fully control symptoms for all patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers adjunctive approaches, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, breathing exercises, yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong. This review synthesizes high-quality evidence (systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and robust RCTs) using the GRADE system.

Acupuncture

Meta-analyses suggest acupuncture may improve asthma symptoms and certain lung function measures, particularly in cough-variant asthma. A 2021 meta-analysis of 11 RCTs (929 patients) reported enhanced total clinical effectiveness, reduced relapse rates, and improved pulmonary function indicators compared with controls, with minimal adverse events (Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021; GRADE: Low-Moderate). A 2019 systematic review (Yeh & Horwitz, 2017) found benefits in subjective symptoms but inconsistent improvement in lung function (GRADE: Low). Adverse effects are rare when acupuncture is performed by trained practitioners.

Acupoint-based interventions—including herbal patching and moxibustion—have been studied, but quality limitations, risk of bias, and incomplete safety reporting reduce confidence in results.

Breathing Exercises and Yoga

A 2020 Cochrane review (22 studies, 2,880 adults) found breathing exercises improved quality of life and hyperventilation symptoms but had limited impact on core asthma symptoms (GRADE: Moderate). In children, a 2019 systematic review (10 studies, 466 participants) found insufficient evidence for conclusive benefit (GRADE: Low).

Yoga, integrating breath control with physical postures, shows small but consistent improvements. A 2016 Cochrane review (15 studies, 1,048 participants) concluded yoga probably improves symptoms and quality of life when added to usual care (GRADE: Moderate). Pediatric studies suggest possible benefits for stress, anxiety, and lung function.

Tai Chi and Qigong

While direct high-quality studies on Tai Chi/Qigong for asthma are lacking, these mind-body practices—rooted in breath regulation and gentle movement—share mechanisms with yoga and breathing therapies. Evidence from related respiratory conditions suggests potential benefit, warranting targeted asthma research.

Herbal Medicine

A 2016 systematic review (29 studies, 3,001 participants) found herbal medicines added to routine therapy improved FEV1 by 7.81% and PEFR by 65.14 L/min (GRADE: Low-Moderate). The Anti-Asthma Herbal Medicine Intervention (ASHMI) demonstrated efficacy without suppressing adrenal or immune function, unlike corticosteroids. However, heterogeneity in formulations, syndrome differentiation, and study quality limits generalizability.

Patent formulas—some containing prepared rehmannia root, schisandra chinensis, astragalus, and other herbs—show high reported effectiveness in small trials, but these results require confirmation in large, rigorously designed studies.

Nutritional Supplements

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early life has shown mixed results for asthma prevention (Brustad et al., 2019; Litonjua et al., 2020). n-3 fatty acid supplementation showed no consistent benefit (Wang et al., 2021). Probiotic supplementation in children yields inconclusive outcomes (Lin et al., 2018).

Integration with Conventional Care

Several RCTs show TCM interventions—particularly acupuncture and herbal medicine—can be effectively combined with pharmacotherapy, such as montelukast, to enhance symptom control and quality of life.

Conclusion

Evidence supports acupuncture, breathing exercises, yoga, and certain herbal formulations as potentially beneficial adjuncts for asthma, mainly for symptom relief and quality of life. Effects on objective lung function are less consistent. Overall, evidence quality is low to moderate due to methodological limitations. These therapies should complement, not replace, standard medical care. High-quality, long-term RCTs with standardized protocols are needed, especially for herbal, Tai Chi, and Qigong interventions.

Key References

Here’s the APA 7th edition reference list reordered by GRADE hierarchy so that the strongest evidence (systematic reviews, Cochrane meta-analyses) appears first, followed by lower-quality or smaller studies. This mirrors the way you structured your review.

References (Ordered by Evidence Strength)

High-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses (Cochrane or equivalent, GRADE: Moderate to High)

Santino, T. A., Chaves, G. S., Freitas, D. A., et al. (2020). Breathing exercises for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, CD001277. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001277.pub4

Yang, Z. Y., Zhong, H. B., Mao, C., et al. (2016). Yoga for asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4, CD010346. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010346.pub2

The Role of Acupoint Application of Herbal Medicine for Asthma: Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Double‐Blind Placebo‐Controlled Trials. (2022). Evidence‐Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2022, 5589433. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5589433

Wang, C., Chen, C., Yeh, M., & Lin, C. (2019). Using traditional Chinese medicine to relieve asthma symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 47(5), 997–1011. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X1950085X

Zhang, A. L., & Guo, X. (2016). Herbal medicine for adults with asthma: A systematic review. Journal of Asthma, 53(6), 650–659. https://doi.org/10.3109/02770903.2015.1101473

Acupuncture Treatment for Cough‐Variant Asthma: A Meta‐Analysis. (2021). Evidence‐Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021, 6694936. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6694936

Wang, Y. H., Huang, S. Y., Kuo, H. P., et al. (2021). N‐3 fatty acid supplementation in asthma management: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Allergy, 76(11), 3042–3046. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15043

Moderate-quality systematic reviews (GRADE: Low to Moderate)

Das, R. R., Sankar, J., & Kabra, S. K. (2019). Role of breathing exercises and yoga/pranayama in childhood asthma: A systematic review. Current Pediatric Reviews, 15(3), 175–183. https://doi.org/10.2174/1573396315666190121122452

Lin, J., Zhang, Y., He, C., et al. (2018). Probiotics supplementation in children with asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 54(9), 953–961. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.13946

Yeh, G. Y., & Horwitz, R. (2017). Integrative medicine for respiratory conditions: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Medical Clinics of North America, 101(5), 925–941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2017.04.008

Lower-quality RCTs or adjunctive therapy trials (GRADE: Low)

Chan, P. H., To, C. Y., Chan, E. Y., Li, K., Zhang, G., Chow, P. Y., Liu, L., Leung, T. F., Chan, J. C., Chan, P. K., Chan, C. K., Ng, D. K., & Ng, P. C. (2016). A randomized placebo-controlled trial of traditional Chinese medicine as an add-on therapy to oral montelukast in the treatment of mild persistent asthma in children. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 29, 182–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2016.10.010

Prevention and nutrition-focused studies (GRADE: Low / inconsistent)

Brustad, N., Eliasen, A. U., Stokholm, J., et al. (2019). High-dose vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and asthma in offspring at the age of 6 years. JAMA, 321(10), 1003–1005. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.0052

Litonjua, A. A., Carey, V. J., Laranjo, N., et al. (2020). Six-year follow-up of a trial of antenatal vitamin D for asthma reduction. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(6), 525–533. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1906137