Efficacy and safety of Ayurveda interventions for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A protocol for systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review aimed is to find evidence about the efficacy and safety of Ayurvedic management for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This systematic review protocol was developed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis protocol statement. For this systematic review, articles will be selected from electronic databases such as Pubmed, AYUSH Research portal, Digital Helpline for Ayurvedic Research Articles, Ayurvedic Research Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, Clinical trial registries, and clinical studies published in relevant journals. There will be no restriction on the study type or publication date. Two review authors will independently extract data from the selected studies on the study characteristics (publication-related information, methodology, participants, interventions, comparators, outcomes, and results) in a prestructured format for data analysis and assessment of study quality. The risk of bias in the selected studies will be assessed through suitable existing tools. The meta-analysis will also be conducted, if feasible. If meta-analysis is not possible, the results will be summarized as a systematic qualitative synthesis. This systematic review will summarize the available evidence about the safety and efficacy of Ayurveda interventions in treating NAFLD. It will also provide ideas for future research to generate good-quality evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of Ayurvedic interventions in NAFLD. Study registration: Registered with PROSPERO, Reg. No. CRD42022321063.