ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the influence of drug factors on the efficacy of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy for oral potentially malignant disorder to improve clinical efficacy and promote clinical rational drug use.MethodsLiterature on the treatment of oral potentially malignant disorder by using ALA photodynamic therapy was collected and analyzed from PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge database, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang database.ResultsA total of 690 cases were collected, with an average complete response rate of 65.94%. The groups treated with 16.8% methyl aminolevulinate cream, local topical, once a week, and pre-activation time of 2-4 hours were better than the other subgroups, with average complete response rates of 100%, 66.91%, 78.28%, and 77.54%, respectively.ConclusionDrug factors have direct influence on the curative effect. The development of novel oral ALA formulations from the perspective of drug improvement is an important strategy to improve efficacy.