Background: Traditional Chinese herbal mixtures have been used to treat atopic eczema for many years. Their efficacy has attracted public attention and recently some clinical trials have been undertaken. Objectives: To assess the effects of Chinese herbal mixtures in the treatment of atopic eczema. Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) ( January 2004), the Cochrane Skin Group Specialised Register (January 2004), MEDLINE (1966 to January 2004), EMBASE (1980 to January 2004), CINHL (1980 to January 2004) and a number of complementary medicine databases. In addition, the cited references of all trials identified and key review articles were searched. Pharmaceutical companies involved in oral traditional Chinese herbs and experts in the field were contacted. Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials of Chinese herbal mixtures used in the treatment of atopic eczema. Data collection and analysis: Two authors independently applied eligibility criteria, assessed the quality of the trials and extracted data. Any discrepancies were discussed to achieve consensus. Main results: Four randomised controlled trials, with eight weeks for each phase, met the inclusion criteria. The trials randomised 159 participants aged from 1 to 60 years. The withdrawal rates ranged from 7.5 to 22.5% and no trial used intention to treat analysis
