Effectiveness of Herbal Interventions in the Management of Hypercholesterolemia: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Hypercholesterolemia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, necessitating effective management strategies. Herbal interventions have gained attention as potential alternative or complementary therapies to conventional lipid-lowering medications. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various herbal interventions in managing hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search will be conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, DHARA, AYUSH research portal, WHO portal, Shodhganga, and Google scholar as well as dissertations and thesis work available in the public domain and unpublished works from university websites for studies published from January 2020 onward. Randomized controlled trials investigating the impact of herbal interventions on cholesterol levels will be included. The primary outcome is the change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Data extraction and quality assessment will be performed independently by 3 reviewers, and discrepancies will be resolved by a fourth reviewer. All statistical analyses will be conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration software program, RevMan Web. RESULTS: Following an initial screening, 96 studies were identified. After removing duplicates, 7 studies were excluded, leaving 89 studies ready for data extraction. The results of these studies will be synthesized and analyzed upon completion. CONCLUSIONS: This review aims to synthesize evidence on the potential benefits of herbal interventions in managing hypercholesterolemia. Preliminary findings suggest that specific herbal interventions may contribute to lower cholesterol levels, potentially complementing standard hypercholesterolemia management strategies. The findings will be systematically analyzed and presented upon completion of the review, providing insights into the effectiveness of integrating these interventions into current treatment protocols. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42024548858; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024548858. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/68016.