Objective: To summarize clinical evidence of traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure systematically and comprehensively. Method:By retrieving in the database of VIP, WanF...Objective: To summarize clinical evidence of traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure systematically and comprehensively. Method:By retrieving in the database of VIP, WanFang, CNKI, PubMed, Cochrane Library, the qualifying results obtained in the databases above are summarized into the grading evidence including systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, case studies, basic research these five levels. Results: The numbers of the articles included are 12 systematic reviews, 413 randomized controlled trials, 68 observational studies, 15 case reports and 187 fundamental researches. Conclusion: It is concluded that basing on the clinical evidence of different levels, traditional Chinese medicine has prominent ability of preventing and treatment chronic heart failure.展开更多
Integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM,which then forms a unique modern medical system in China.Integrated TCM a...Integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM,which then forms a unique modern medical system in China.Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China,and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment.However,the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)limit its development.The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM.To realize the progression of"integration"to"organic integration",a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed.Therefore,the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.展开更多
BACKGROUND Heart failure(HF),a common cardiovascular condition,is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality.While traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is often used as a complementary approach in HF management,...BACKGROUND Heart failure(HF),a common cardiovascular condition,is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality.While traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is often used as a complementary approach in HF management,systematic evalua-tions of its impact on clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP)levels are lacking.This study fills this gap through a comprehensive analysis of randomized controlled trials(RCTs)focusing on TCM for HF treatment.It encompasses an assessment of methodological quality,a meta-analysis,and an evaluation of evidence quality based on established standards.The results offer crucial insights into the potential advantages and constraints of TCM in HF management.RCTs on TCM for HF treatment published since the establishment of the database were searched in four Chinese and English databases,including China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang,VIP Information Chinese Science and Technology Journal,and PubMed.Methodological quality was assessed for the included studies with the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool,and the meta-analysis and publication bias assessment was performed with the RevMan5.3 software.Finally,the quality of evidence was rated according to the GRADE criteria.RESULTS A total of 1098 RCTs were initially retrieved.After screening,16 RCTs were finally included in our study,which were published between 2020 and 2023.These RCTs involved 1660 HF patients,including 832 in the TCM group[TCM combined with conventional Western medicine(CMW)treatment]and 828 in the CWM group(CWM treatment).The course of treatments varied from 1 wk to 3 months.TCM syndrome differentiation was analyzed in 11 of the included RCTs.In all included RCTs,outcome indicators included comprehensive clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and BNP levels.The meta-analysis results showed significant differences between the TCM and CWM groups in terms of comprehensive clinical outcomes[risk ratio=-0.54;95%confidence interval(CI)=-0.61,-0.47;P<0.00001],TCM syndrome scores[weighted mean difference(WMD)=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001],and BNP levels(WMD=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001).According to the GRADE criteria,RCTs where"TCM improves clinical comprehensive outcomes"were rated as low-quality evidence,and RCTs where"TCM reduces TCM syndrome scores"or"TCM decreases BNP levels"were rated as medium-quality evidence.CONCLUSION TCM combined with CWM treatment effectively improves comprehensive clinical outcomes and diminishes TCM syndrome scores and BNP levels in HF patients.Given the low and medium quality of the included RCTs,the application of these results should be cautious.展开更多
Objective: To explore the application effect of flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method in clinical skills teaching of standardized training for resident doctors of traditional Chinese M...Objective: To explore the application effect of flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method in clinical skills teaching of standardized training for resident doctors of traditional Chinese Medicine. Methods: The study used the experimental control method. The study lasted from September to November 2022. The subjects of this study were 49 students of standardized training for resident doctors of traditional Chinese Medicine from grades 2020, 2021 and 2022 of Dazhou integrated TCM & Western Medicine Hospital. They were randomly divided into experiment group (25) and control group (24). The experiment group adopted flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method, and the control group adopted traditional teaching method. The teaching content was 4 basic clinical skill projects, including four diagnoses of traditional Chinese Medicine, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dressing change procedure, acupuncture and massage. The evaluation method was carried out by comparing the students’ performance and a self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the students’ evaluation of the teaching method. Results: The test scores of total scores in the experimental group (90.12 ± 5.89) were all higher than those in the control group (81.47 ± 7.96) (t = 4.53, P P Conclusions: The teaching process of the flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method is conducive to improving the efficiency of classroom teaching, cultivating students’ self-learning ability, and enhancing students’ willingness to learn.展开更多
Inflammatory bowel disease,particularly ulcerative colitis(UC),poses significant treatment challenges due to its chronic nature and potential for severe complications.This editorial reviews a recent network meta-analy...Inflammatory bowel disease,particularly ulcerative colitis(UC),poses significant treatment challenges due to its chronic nature and potential for severe complications.This editorial reviews a recent network meta-analysis that evaluated the efficacy of and highlighted the superior outcomes achieved by combining each of five traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulations with mesalazine for the adjuvant treatment of UC.Clinical outcomes included enhanced mucosal healing,improved quality of life,and reduced recurrence rates.Additionally,the combination therapy resulted in a lower incidence of adverse reactions compared with mesalazine monotherapy.Despite these promising results,limitations such as variability in study quality and TCM dosage highlight the need for further highquality,large-sample,multicenter randomized controlled trials.This editorial underscores the potential of TCM in enhancing UC management and calls for more rigorous research to substantiate these findings and refine clinical guidelines.展开更多
Background:To investigate the clinical medication approach of Professor Guiqi Xuan(Prof.Xuan)in treating pediatric patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and the potential mechanism of the core he...Background:To investigate the clinical medication approach of Professor Guiqi Xuan(Prof.Xuan)in treating pediatric patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and the potential mechanism of the core herbal prescription.Methods:Following medical record information pretreatment,the Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)inheritance computing platform system V3.0 was utilized to analyze the standardized data.The associate rules were summarized to identify the core prescription for treating ADHD.The extracted core herbal prescription’s active compounds and potential targets were used to establish a protein-protein interaction network of active ingredient-disease targets.Cytoscape 3.9.1 software was used to analyze the network’s topological parameters to obtain the key active ingredients and their targets.The Bioconductor data package of R4.0.2 was used to analyze the gene ontology biological functions and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways of key targets.Results:Two hundred and twenty-seven entries derived from TCM record information were selected.Through data mining,it was found that 62.5%of pediatric patients had short-tempered behavior,nearly half had sleep problems,and 30%-40%had picky eating and polyphagia issues.The highest-frequency syndrome type was kidney deficiency and liver hyperactivity.Deficiency,fire,phlegm,and dyspeptic food were the main pathological factors for ADHD.Prof.Xuan’s treatment of ADHD mainly focused on replenishing kidney essence and subduing Yang(active,external,ascending,warm,bright,functional and excited pertain to Yang).The core herbal prescription for ADHD included Yuan-zhi,Yi-zhi,Gui-jia,Bai-shao,Long-chi,Ci-shi,Shi-chang-pu,Yu-jin,Fu-shen,and Huang-jing.The protein-protein interaction network showed that MAOA,ADRB2,FOS,MAOB,and SLC6A3 were the five key targets essential in treating ADHD with core herbal prescriptions.The gene ontology biological function of crucial targets mainly involved G protein-coupled amine receptor activity,catecholamine binding,and neurotransmitter transmembrane transporter activity.Analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways showed that the dopaminergic synapse signaling and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathways were significantly enriched and may be the primary routes for the main treatment of ADHD.Conclusion:Prof.Xuan’s treatment of ADHD has achieved satisfactory clinical effects by supplementing the kidney,replenishing the essence,opening the orifices,nourishing the Yin(static,internal,descending,cold,dim,organic,depressed and pertain to Yin),and subduing the Yang.The major prescription predominantly affects catecholamine binding,neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,G protein-coupled amine receptor function,and signaling pathways for dopaminergic synapses.Our findings showed that the methodology and software used in this research could explore and analyze the mechanism behind Prof.Xuan’s clinical medication rule for treating ADHD in children.展开更多
The property theory of Chinese materia medica is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine.The property of Chinese materia medica(PCMM)is a multi-dimensional expression of the effect of Chinese materia me...The property theory of Chinese materia medica is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine.The property of Chinese materia medica(PCMM)is a multi-dimensional expression of the effect of Chinese materia medica(CMM),and it is related to the clinical prescription that fully reflects the clinical effect evaluation of CMM in a holistic,systematic,and scientific way.This paper discusses the source,development,and application of the PCMM by considering not only the five dimensions that constitute the PCMM but also the recognition of the human body and disease as given in traditional Chinese medicine.This paper aims to provide theoretical guidance for the rational use and development of CMM.展开更多
Objective: To explore the methodology of the evidence-based expert consensus formulation process of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) nursing taking stroke as an example.Methods: First, preliminary and comprehensive p...Objective: To explore the methodology of the evidence-based expert consensus formulation process of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) nursing taking stroke as an example.Methods: First, preliminary and comprehensive presentation of all stroke-related symptoms and corresponding TCM nursing techniques involved were revealed through bibliometric analysis. Then, selection of stroke symptoms and TCM nursing techniques for inclusion in the consensus was performed using an expert consultation method. Next, we determined the search strategy for a precise evidence search;conducted an evaluation of evidence quality and the grade of the evidence;and completed evidence extraction, evidence analysis, and evidence synthesis based on the included symptoms and TCM nursing techniques. The Delphi method was then applied to determine the strength of each recommendation and the choice of nursing care points by referring to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations grid. Finally, we conducted an external expert validation of the Delphi results to form an expert consensus guideline.Results: Through the bibliometric analysis, 22 stroke symptoms and 18 TCM nursing techniques were identified in the literature. Then, after expert consultation, 22 symptoms and 111 pairs of symptoms combined with TCM nursing techniques were selected for the evidence search. Evidence integration yielded 10 stroke symptoms corresponding to 29 bodies of evidence;these 10 symptoms were retained through the Delphi consultation, and recommendation strength results for 26 recommendations were obtained. A total of 9 symptoms were further retained for expert external validation to form 24 recommendations, with a recommendation process score range of 7.64-9.99 points and a more scientific and standardized recommendation-formation process.Conclusion: Owing to the current limited conditions of evidence-based resources for TCM nursing, the present consensus-building process represents only a preliminary exploration of an evidence-based expert consensus for TCM nursing to provide a reference for a more scientific and standardized methodology.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Chinese and contemporary Western medical practices evolved on different cultures and historical contexts and, therefore, their medical knowledge represents this cultural divergence. Computerization of tra...BACKGROUND: Chinese and contemporary Western medical practices evolved on different cultures and historical contexts and, therefore, their medical knowledge represents this cultural divergence. Computerization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is being used to promote the integrative medicine to manage, process and integrate the knowledge related to TCM anatomy, physiology, semiology, pathophysiology, and therapy. METHODS: We proposed the development of the SuiteTCM software, a collection of integrated computational models mainly derived from epidemiology and statistical sciences for computerization of Chinese medicine scientific research and clinical practice in all levels of prevention. The software includes components for data management (DataTCM), simulation of cases (SimTCM), analyses and validation of datasets (SciTCM), clinical examination and pattern differentiation (DiagTCM, TongueTCM, and PulseTCM), intervention selection (AcuTCM, HerbsTCM, and DietTCM), management of medical records (ProntTCM), epidemiologic investigation of sampled data (ResearchTCM), and medical education, training, and assessment (StudentTCM). DISCUSSION: The SuiteTCM project is expected to contribute to the ongoing development of integrative medicine and the applicability of TCM in worldwide scientific research and health care. The SuiteTCM 1.0 runs on Windows XP or later and is freely available for download as an executable application.展开更多
Background:Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome,also named syndrome,are comprehensive and integral analyses of clinical information which helps to guide different individualized treatment prescriptions.Methods:Th...Background:Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome,also named syndrome,are comprehensive and integral analyses of clinical information which helps to guide different individualized treatment prescriptions.Methods:Thirty healthy controls and 80 colorectal cancer(CRC)patients(including 33 Spleen Qi Deficiency syndrome,23 Dampness Heat syndrome,17 Blood Stasis syndrome and 7 other syndrome)were enrolled into this study.Human mRNAs were extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.The gene expression for CRC patients with different TCM syndrome was determined by microarray and qRT-PCR.Results:Spleen Qi Deficiency,Dampness Heat and Blood Stasis were the most common syndromes in CRC patients.There is a significant difference was found in mRNA expression levels(especially for PIK3CA,STAT3,SOX9 and KDM5C)among Spleen Qi Deficiency,Dampness Heat and Blood Stasis syndrome groups.The higher mRNA levels of JNK1,TP53,MLH1,MSH6,PMS2,SOCS3,TCF7L2,FAM123B,PSAP,FBXW7,SALL4 and the lower expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 were found in Spleen Qi Deficiency group but not other syndrome types.The higher mRNA levels of KRAS,MUC16,EGFR,GRASP65,PIK3CA,MAPK7,CD24,STAT3,SLC11A1,Bcl-2,TXNDC17 and some inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-23,TNF-a,CXCR4)were found in Dampness Heat group but not other syndrome types.Blood Stasis syndrome showed higher expression of SOX9,MLH1,MSH6,KDM5C,PCDH11X,PSAP and SALL4,and lower mRNA levels of PIK3CA,CD24,STAT3,CXCR4,TXNDC17 and TP53.The CRC patients with Dampness Heat syndrome might have a poor prognosis than other syndrome types.Conclusion:The identification of syndrome conditions had different impacts on CRC prognosis,and which might be related with different mRNA expression levels.Some oncogenes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were highly expressed in Dampness Heat group but not other syndrome types,suggesting that the CRC patients with Dampness Heat syndrome might have a poor prognosis.Our results prelimitarily uncovered the molecular basis of syndrome differences in CRC prognosis,a better understanding for TCM treatment of CRC.展开更多
Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. In recent years, the incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer have increased year by year, which has seriously threatened human health. Su...Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. In recent years, the incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer have increased year by year, which has seriously threatened human health. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as the primary treatments of Western medicine, have achieved specific results in the clinic, but each has its limitations, this is mainly related to their side effects. The diversified treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine have visible clinical effects, especially in terms of reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency. This present review reviews the research progress of esophageal cancer in terms of traditional Chinese medicine treatment, including the application of Chinese medicine extract, Chinese herbal compound, Chinese patent medicine and TCM external treatment in clinical practice, may provide valuable information for the adjuvant treatment of esophageal cancer with traditional Chinese medicine.展开更多
Dry eye is a common and frequently occurring ophthalmology disease with complex etiology and easy recurrence.Oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristicsof high curative effect and littl...Dry eye is a common and frequently occurring ophthalmology disease with complex etiology and easy recurrence.Oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristicsof high curative effect and little toxic and side effect in the treatment of dry eye.This paper collates the domestic reported clinical studies on the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye,which are discussed from four aspects:special prescription for specific disease,addition and subtraction of main prescription,treatment based on syndrome differentiation and proprietary Chinese medicine.The curative effect and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye are demonstrated,providing a reference for the treatment of dry eye in the future.展开更多
Traditional Chinese medicine has widely been used internationally in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)since January 2020.There has been great interest in initiating clinical studies testing different...Traditional Chinese medicine has widely been used internationally in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)since January 2020.There has been great interest in initiating clinical studies testing different Chinese medicine therapies for COVID-19,but the majority of registered studies have yet to move forward due to a lack of COVID-19 patients in China's Mainland.The aim of this article was to systematically review the current clinical research evidence on Chinese medicine for treating COVID-19 from international and domestic bibliographic databases to reflect on the advances in this field.展开更多
Through the method of literature mining,the classics of traditional Chinese medicine,materia medica works,medical cases and documents are studied.Based on common prescriptions for the treatment of diseases such as abn...Through the method of literature mining,the classics of traditional Chinese medicine,materia medica works,medical cases and documents are studied.Based on common prescriptions for the treatment of diseases such as abnormal Zang-fu viscera and qi movement,dysfunction,etc.,and combined with the theory of ascending and descending property of traditional Chinese medicine,the application of ascending and descending property of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical prescription compatibility and the factors affecting the application are summarized.The ascending and descending properties of traditional Chinese medicine have been widely used in prescription compatibility for the clinical treatment of impairment of purifying and descending function of the lung,spleen and stomach's ascending and descending disorders and heart-kidney noninteractionpatte.展开更多
With the internationalization and modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM clinical research has accumulated a lot of research information resources. However, these information resources are often sc...With the internationalization and modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM clinical research has accumulated a lot of research information resources. However, these information resources are often scattered in various retrieval systems, which brings some difficulties to the reference and use of this information. Therefore, we collected TCM clinical research protocols which were published in international journals and established Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Protocol Database (TCMCRPD), in order to promote the localization of high-quality researches and improve the ability of TCM clinical research in China. After analyzing the major existing problems of TCM clinical research protocols, this essay describes the necessities and feasibilities of building Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Protocol Database (TCMCRPD) and puts forward some basic technological ideas, so as to provide a theoretical foundation for building the database.展开更多
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)clinical efficacy evaluation runs through the development of TCM and has been progressing so far.With the introduction of evidence-based medicine(EBM)in recent 20 years,TCM clinical ef...Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)clinical efficacy evaluation runs through the development of TCM and has been progressing so far.With the introduction of evidence-based medicine(EBM)in recent 20 years,TCM clinical efficacy evaluation has developed rapidly,accumulated research and experience,improved the quality and standardization of research,but also gradually found deep-seated deficiencies.In 2019,the China Center for Evidence-based Traditional Chinese Medicine(CCEBTCM)was established,and TCM was included in the 11th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases(ICD-11).In above opportunities for TCM clinical efficacy evaluation,it is necessary to face up to the previous deficiencies,so that the TCM clinical efficacy evaluation can truly reflect the actual clinical practice characteristics,including TCM clinical problems,TCM thinking and TCM diagnosis&treatment mode.Based on the summary and analysis of past research,development concepts are proposed in this article.On the one hand,original concepts of TCM should be confidently paid more attention to the design and implementation of TCM clinical efficacy evaluation to be close to TCM clinical practice.On the other hand,it is necessary to consolidate the foundation of TCM clinical practice before evaluating efficacy.Evaluated object built on TCM ontology knowledge should be demonstrated based on clinical practice,and unknown evaluated object combined with new methods,technologies and concepts should be maturely integrated in clinical practice firstly.展开更多
Objective: To observe the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine nursing on the recovery of gastrointestinal function after abdominal operation. Methods: A total of 148 patients undergoing abdominal surgery f...Objective: To observe the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine nursing on the recovery of gastrointestinal function after abdominal operation. Methods: A total of 148 patients undergoing abdominal surgery from June 2013 to June 2014 in our hospital were randomly divided into observation group and control group, 74 cases in each group. The control group received routine nursing and the observation group was treated with the pointer, acupuncture and external application of abdominal treatment on the basis of routine nursing, which is 2 times a day,7 days for a course of treatment. Results: The recovery time of bowel sound, the first anal exhaust defecation time the in the observation group and the hospital day was less than the control group. With the comparison of two groups, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of abdominal pain, abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting and constipation in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: On the basis of routine nursing, the implementation of traditional Chinese medicine characteristic nursing can effectively promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, reduce the occurrence of complications, shorten the length of stay and improve the clinical effect.展开更多
Objective:Patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were treated with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine,and the final results were observed.Methods:70 patients with such symptoms were randomly div...Objective:Patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were treated with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine,and the final results were observed.Methods:70 patients with such symptoms were randomly divided into two groups.The number of people is the same,and the treatment methods are different.The control group uses western medicine,while the observation group uses traditional Chinese medicine to evaluate the treatment effect.Results:After treatment,the effective rate of the observation group was(P<0.05),indicating that the treatment effect was significantly better.Conclusion:Patients with clinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy treated with routine nutrition and nerve repair,and with Chinese medicine,the effect is more satisfactory,and the effect is positive,so as to promote the optimization of their health.展开更多
To present the advances of evidence-based medicine and clinical research methodology in integrative oncology,we conducted a literature review of real-world studies of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in cancer care an...To present the advances of evidence-based medicine and clinical research methodology in integrative oncology,we conducted a literature review of real-world studies of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in cancer care and summarized the available evidence.Pragmatic randomized controlled trials(pRCTs)and clinical registry studies are becoming more popular as they could compensate for the limitations of RCTs.Many RCTs of TCM for cancer treatment as well as systematic reviews have been published.The most investigated therapies are based on acupuncture,Chinese herbal compounds,and Chinese patent medicines.Acupuncture has a significant advantage in relieving cancer-related symptoms.Published studies focus more on improving clinical symptoms and laboratory indicators.However,the patient's quality of life deserves more attention.展开更多
Herbal traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is used to treat several ailments, but its efficiency is poorly documented and hence debated, as opposed to modern medicine commonly providinge ffective therapies. The aim of t...Herbal traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is used to treat several ailments, but its efficiency is poorly documented and hence debated, as opposed to modern medicine commonly providinge ffective therapies. The aim of this review article is to present a practical reference guide on the role of herbal TCM in managing gastrointestinal disorders, supported by systematic reviews and evidence based trials. A literature search using herbal TCM combined with terms for gastrointestinal disorders in Pub Med and the Cochrane database identified publications of herbal TCM trials. Results were analyzed for study type, inclusion criteria, and outcome parameters. Quality of placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials was poor, mostly neglecting stringent evidence based diagnostic and therapeutic criteria. Accordingly, appropriate Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses were limited and failed to support valid, clinically relevant evidence based efficiency of herbal TCM in gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. In conclusion, the use of herbal TCM to treat various diseases has an interesting philosophical background with a long history, but it received increasing skepticism due to the lack of evidence based efficiency as shown by high quality trials; this has now been summarized for gastrointestinal disorders, with TCM not recommended for most gastrointestinal diseases. Future studies should focus on placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials, herbal product quality and standard criteria for diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and assessment of adverse herb reactions. This approach will provide figures of risk/benefit profiles that hopefully are positive for at least some treatment modalities of herbal TCM. Proponents of modern herbal TCM best face these promising challenges of pragmaticmodern medicine by bridging the gap between the two medicinal cultures.展开更多
文摘Objective: To summarize clinical evidence of traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure systematically and comprehensively. Method:By retrieving in the database of VIP, WanFang, CNKI, PubMed, Cochrane Library, the qualifying results obtained in the databases above are summarized into the grading evidence including systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, case studies, basic research these five levels. Results: The numbers of the articles included are 12 systematic reviews, 413 randomized controlled trials, 68 observational studies, 15 case reports and 187 fundamental researches. Conclusion: It is concluded that basing on the clinical evidence of different levels, traditional Chinese medicine has prominent ability of preventing and treatment chronic heart failure.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82174230)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2042022kf1213)。
文摘Integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM,which then forms a unique modern medical system in China.Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China,and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment.However,the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)limit its development.The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM.To realize the progression of"integration"to"organic integration",a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed.Therefore,the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
文摘BACKGROUND Heart failure(HF),a common cardiovascular condition,is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality.While traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is often used as a complementary approach in HF management,systematic evalua-tions of its impact on clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP)levels are lacking.This study fills this gap through a comprehensive analysis of randomized controlled trials(RCTs)focusing on TCM for HF treatment.It encompasses an assessment of methodological quality,a meta-analysis,and an evaluation of evidence quality based on established standards.The results offer crucial insights into the potential advantages and constraints of TCM in HF management.RCTs on TCM for HF treatment published since the establishment of the database were searched in four Chinese and English databases,including China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang,VIP Information Chinese Science and Technology Journal,and PubMed.Methodological quality was assessed for the included studies with the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool,and the meta-analysis and publication bias assessment was performed with the RevMan5.3 software.Finally,the quality of evidence was rated according to the GRADE criteria.RESULTS A total of 1098 RCTs were initially retrieved.After screening,16 RCTs were finally included in our study,which were published between 2020 and 2023.These RCTs involved 1660 HF patients,including 832 in the TCM group[TCM combined with conventional Western medicine(CMW)treatment]and 828 in the CWM group(CWM treatment).The course of treatments varied from 1 wk to 3 months.TCM syndrome differentiation was analyzed in 11 of the included RCTs.In all included RCTs,outcome indicators included comprehensive clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and BNP levels.The meta-analysis results showed significant differences between the TCM and CWM groups in terms of comprehensive clinical outcomes[risk ratio=-0.54;95%confidence interval(CI)=-0.61,-0.47;P<0.00001],TCM syndrome scores[weighted mean difference(WMD)=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001],and BNP levels(WMD=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001).According to the GRADE criteria,RCTs where"TCM improves clinical comprehensive outcomes"were rated as low-quality evidence,and RCTs where"TCM reduces TCM syndrome scores"or"TCM decreases BNP levels"were rated as medium-quality evidence.CONCLUSION TCM combined with CWM treatment effectively improves comprehensive clinical outcomes and diminishes TCM syndrome scores and BNP levels in HF patients.Given the low and medium quality of the included RCTs,the application of these results should be cautious.
文摘Objective: To explore the application effect of flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method in clinical skills teaching of standardized training for resident doctors of traditional Chinese Medicine. Methods: The study used the experimental control method. The study lasted from September to November 2022. The subjects of this study were 49 students of standardized training for resident doctors of traditional Chinese Medicine from grades 2020, 2021 and 2022 of Dazhou integrated TCM & Western Medicine Hospital. They were randomly divided into experiment group (25) and control group (24). The experiment group adopted flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method, and the control group adopted traditional teaching method. The teaching content was 4 basic clinical skill projects, including four diagnoses of traditional Chinese Medicine, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dressing change procedure, acupuncture and massage. The evaluation method was carried out by comparing the students’ performance and a self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the students’ evaluation of the teaching method. Results: The test scores of total scores in the experimental group (90.12 ± 5.89) were all higher than those in the control group (81.47 ± 7.96) (t = 4.53, P P Conclusions: The teaching process of the flipped classroom combined with problem-based learning teaching method is conducive to improving the efficiency of classroom teaching, cultivating students’ self-learning ability, and enhancing students’ willingness to learn.
文摘Inflammatory bowel disease,particularly ulcerative colitis(UC),poses significant treatment challenges due to its chronic nature and potential for severe complications.This editorial reviews a recent network meta-analysis that evaluated the efficacy of and highlighted the superior outcomes achieved by combining each of five traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulations with mesalazine for the adjuvant treatment of UC.Clinical outcomes included enhanced mucosal healing,improved quality of life,and reduced recurrence rates.Additionally,the combination therapy resulted in a lower incidence of adverse reactions compared with mesalazine monotherapy.Despite these promising results,limitations such as variability in study quality and TCM dosage highlight the need for further highquality,large-sample,multicenter randomized controlled trials.This editorial underscores the potential of TCM in enhancing UC management and calls for more rigorous research to substantiate these findings and refine clinical guidelines.
基金This work was supported by the Hangzhou XUANs’Pediatric School Inheritance Studio Construction Project(No.[2012]228).
文摘Background:To investigate the clinical medication approach of Professor Guiqi Xuan(Prof.Xuan)in treating pediatric patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and the potential mechanism of the core herbal prescription.Methods:Following medical record information pretreatment,the Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)inheritance computing platform system V3.0 was utilized to analyze the standardized data.The associate rules were summarized to identify the core prescription for treating ADHD.The extracted core herbal prescription’s active compounds and potential targets were used to establish a protein-protein interaction network of active ingredient-disease targets.Cytoscape 3.9.1 software was used to analyze the network’s topological parameters to obtain the key active ingredients and their targets.The Bioconductor data package of R4.0.2 was used to analyze the gene ontology biological functions and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways of key targets.Results:Two hundred and twenty-seven entries derived from TCM record information were selected.Through data mining,it was found that 62.5%of pediatric patients had short-tempered behavior,nearly half had sleep problems,and 30%-40%had picky eating and polyphagia issues.The highest-frequency syndrome type was kidney deficiency and liver hyperactivity.Deficiency,fire,phlegm,and dyspeptic food were the main pathological factors for ADHD.Prof.Xuan’s treatment of ADHD mainly focused on replenishing kidney essence and subduing Yang(active,external,ascending,warm,bright,functional and excited pertain to Yang).The core herbal prescription for ADHD included Yuan-zhi,Yi-zhi,Gui-jia,Bai-shao,Long-chi,Ci-shi,Shi-chang-pu,Yu-jin,Fu-shen,and Huang-jing.The protein-protein interaction network showed that MAOA,ADRB2,FOS,MAOB,and SLC6A3 were the five key targets essential in treating ADHD with core herbal prescriptions.The gene ontology biological function of crucial targets mainly involved G protein-coupled amine receptor activity,catecholamine binding,and neurotransmitter transmembrane transporter activity.Analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways showed that the dopaminergic synapse signaling and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathways were significantly enriched and may be the primary routes for the main treatment of ADHD.Conclusion:Prof.Xuan’s treatment of ADHD has achieved satisfactory clinical effects by supplementing the kidney,replenishing the essence,opening the orifices,nourishing the Yin(static,internal,descending,cold,dim,organic,depressed and pertain to Yin),and subduing the Yang.The major prescription predominantly affects catecholamine binding,neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,G protein-coupled amine receptor function,and signaling pathways for dopaminergic synapses.Our findings showed that the methodology and software used in this research could explore and analyze the mechanism behind Prof.Xuan’s clinical medication rule for treating ADHD in children.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81430094)。
文摘The property theory of Chinese materia medica is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine.The property of Chinese materia medica(PCMM)is a multi-dimensional expression of the effect of Chinese materia medica(CMM),and it is related to the clinical prescription that fully reflects the clinical effect evaluation of CMM in a holistic,systematic,and scientific way.This paper discusses the source,development,and application of the PCMM by considering not only the five dimensions that constitute the PCMM but also the recognition of the human body and disease as given in traditional Chinese medicine.This paper aims to provide theoretical guidance for the rational use and development of CMM.
基金supported by the Best Practice Spotlight Organization (Ottawa, Canada)Key Research Project of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (2020-JYB-ZDGG-075Beijing, China)
文摘Objective: To explore the methodology of the evidence-based expert consensus formulation process of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) nursing taking stroke as an example.Methods: First, preliminary and comprehensive presentation of all stroke-related symptoms and corresponding TCM nursing techniques involved were revealed through bibliometric analysis. Then, selection of stroke symptoms and TCM nursing techniques for inclusion in the consensus was performed using an expert consultation method. Next, we determined the search strategy for a precise evidence search;conducted an evaluation of evidence quality and the grade of the evidence;and completed evidence extraction, evidence analysis, and evidence synthesis based on the included symptoms and TCM nursing techniques. The Delphi method was then applied to determine the strength of each recommendation and the choice of nursing care points by referring to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations grid. Finally, we conducted an external expert validation of the Delphi results to form an expert consensus guideline.Results: Through the bibliometric analysis, 22 stroke symptoms and 18 TCM nursing techniques were identified in the literature. Then, after expert consultation, 22 symptoms and 111 pairs of symptoms combined with TCM nursing techniques were selected for the evidence search. Evidence integration yielded 10 stroke symptoms corresponding to 29 bodies of evidence;these 10 symptoms were retained through the Delphi consultation, and recommendation strength results for 26 recommendations were obtained. A total of 9 symptoms were further retained for expert external validation to form 24 recommendations, with a recommendation process score range of 7.64-9.99 points and a more scientific and standardized recommendation-formation process.Conclusion: Owing to the current limited conditions of evidence-based resources for TCM nursing, the present consensus-building process represents only a preliminary exploration of an evidence-based expert consensus for TCM nursing to provide a reference for a more scientific and standardized methodology.
基金supported by a grant (n°E-26/103.066/2012)from the Fundao Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)
文摘BACKGROUND: Chinese and contemporary Western medical practices evolved on different cultures and historical contexts and, therefore, their medical knowledge represents this cultural divergence. Computerization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is being used to promote the integrative medicine to manage, process and integrate the knowledge related to TCM anatomy, physiology, semiology, pathophysiology, and therapy. METHODS: We proposed the development of the SuiteTCM software, a collection of integrated computational models mainly derived from epidemiology and statistical sciences for computerization of Chinese medicine scientific research and clinical practice in all levels of prevention. The software includes components for data management (DataTCM), simulation of cases (SimTCM), analyses and validation of datasets (SciTCM), clinical examination and pattern differentiation (DiagTCM, TongueTCM, and PulseTCM), intervention selection (AcuTCM, HerbsTCM, and DietTCM), management of medical records (ProntTCM), epidemiologic investigation of sampled data (ResearchTCM), and medical education, training, and assessment (StudentTCM). DISCUSSION: The SuiteTCM project is expected to contribute to the ongoing development of integrative medicine and the applicability of TCM in worldwide scientific research and health care. The SuiteTCM 1.0 runs on Windows XP or later and is freely available for download as an executable application.
基金This research was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant No.81874380,81672932,81730108 and 81973635)Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China for Distinguished Young Scholars(grant No.LR18H160001)+6 种基金Zhejiang Province Science and Technology Project of TCM(grant No.2019ZZ016)Zhejiang Province Medical Science and Technology Project(grant No.2017RC007)Talent Project of Zhejiang Association for Science and Technology(grant No.2017YCGC002)Key Project of Hangzhou Ministry of Science and Technology(grant No.20162013A07)Zhejiang Provincial Project for the Key Discipline of Traditional Chinese Medicine(grant No.2017-XK-A09)the Open Project Program of Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica(No.JKLPSE201807)the Project of the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD).
文摘Background:Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome,also named syndrome,are comprehensive and integral analyses of clinical information which helps to guide different individualized treatment prescriptions.Methods:Thirty healthy controls and 80 colorectal cancer(CRC)patients(including 33 Spleen Qi Deficiency syndrome,23 Dampness Heat syndrome,17 Blood Stasis syndrome and 7 other syndrome)were enrolled into this study.Human mRNAs were extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.The gene expression for CRC patients with different TCM syndrome was determined by microarray and qRT-PCR.Results:Spleen Qi Deficiency,Dampness Heat and Blood Stasis were the most common syndromes in CRC patients.There is a significant difference was found in mRNA expression levels(especially for PIK3CA,STAT3,SOX9 and KDM5C)among Spleen Qi Deficiency,Dampness Heat and Blood Stasis syndrome groups.The higher mRNA levels of JNK1,TP53,MLH1,MSH6,PMS2,SOCS3,TCF7L2,FAM123B,PSAP,FBXW7,SALL4 and the lower expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 were found in Spleen Qi Deficiency group but not other syndrome types.The higher mRNA levels of KRAS,MUC16,EGFR,GRASP65,PIK3CA,MAPK7,CD24,STAT3,SLC11A1,Bcl-2,TXNDC17 and some inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-23,TNF-a,CXCR4)were found in Dampness Heat group but not other syndrome types.Blood Stasis syndrome showed higher expression of SOX9,MLH1,MSH6,KDM5C,PCDH11X,PSAP and SALL4,and lower mRNA levels of PIK3CA,CD24,STAT3,CXCR4,TXNDC17 and TP53.The CRC patients with Dampness Heat syndrome might have a poor prognosis than other syndrome types.Conclusion:The identification of syndrome conditions had different impacts on CRC prognosis,and which might be related with different mRNA expression levels.Some oncogenes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were highly expressed in Dampness Heat group but not other syndrome types,suggesting that the CRC patients with Dampness Heat syndrome might have a poor prognosis.Our results prelimitarily uncovered the molecular basis of syndrome differences in CRC prognosis,a better understanding for TCM treatment of CRC.
文摘Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. In recent years, the incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer have increased year by year, which has seriously threatened human health. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as the primary treatments of Western medicine, have achieved specific results in the clinic, but each has its limitations, this is mainly related to their side effects. The diversified treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine have visible clinical effects, especially in terms of reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency. This present review reviews the research progress of esophageal cancer in terms of traditional Chinese medicine treatment, including the application of Chinese medicine extract, Chinese herbal compound, Chinese patent medicine and TCM external treatment in clinical practice, may provide valuable information for the adjuvant treatment of esophageal cancer with traditional Chinese medicine.
基金The study was supported by the Tianjin municipal health and Health Committee and Tianjin Administration of traditional Chinese Medicine(Scientific research project of integrated traditional Chinese and Western Medicine NO.2019027).
文摘Dry eye is a common and frequently occurring ophthalmology disease with complex etiology and easy recurrence.Oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristicsof high curative effect and little toxic and side effect in the treatment of dry eye.This paper collates the domestic reported clinical studies on the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye,which are discussed from four aspects:special prescription for specific disease,addition and subtraction of main prescription,treatment based on syndrome differentiation and proprietary Chinese medicine.The curative effect and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye are demonstrated,providing a reference for the treatment of dry eye in the future.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Project(2018YFE0102300)Prof.Nicola Robinson(Visiting Professor of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine)is funded by Overseas Expertise Project,Ministry of Education of China(MS200800090).
文摘Traditional Chinese medicine has widely been used internationally in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)since January 2020.There has been great interest in initiating clinical studies testing different Chinese medicine therapies for COVID-19,but the majority of registered studies have yet to move forward due to a lack of COVID-19 patients in China's Mainland.The aim of this article was to systematically review the current clinical research evidence on Chinese medicine for treating COVID-19 from international and domestic bibliographic databases to reflect on the advances in this field.
基金University-level Scientific Research Project of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine(2015MS011)Guangxi Key Laboratory of Zhuang Yao Medicine(20-065-14)Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research of Zhuang Traditional Medicine in Collages and Universities in Guangxi(GJKY[2017]23 zyfy201707).
文摘Through the method of literature mining,the classics of traditional Chinese medicine,materia medica works,medical cases and documents are studied.Based on common prescriptions for the treatment of diseases such as abnormal Zang-fu viscera and qi movement,dysfunction,etc.,and combined with the theory of ascending and descending property of traditional Chinese medicine,the application of ascending and descending property of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical prescription compatibility and the factors affecting the application are summarized.The ascending and descending properties of traditional Chinese medicine have been widely used in prescription compatibility for the clinical treatment of impairment of purifying and descending function of the lung,spleen and stomach's ascending and descending disorders and heart-kidney noninteractionpatte.
文摘With the internationalization and modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM clinical research has accumulated a lot of research information resources. However, these information resources are often scattered in various retrieval systems, which brings some difficulties to the reference and use of this information. Therefore, we collected TCM clinical research protocols which were published in international journals and established Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Protocol Database (TCMCRPD), in order to promote the localization of high-quality researches and improve the ability of TCM clinical research in China. After analyzing the major existing problems of TCM clinical research protocols, this essay describes the necessities and feasibilities of building Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Protocol Database (TCMCRPD) and puts forward some basic technological ideas, so as to provide a theoretical foundation for building the database.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81725024).
文摘Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)clinical efficacy evaluation runs through the development of TCM and has been progressing so far.With the introduction of evidence-based medicine(EBM)in recent 20 years,TCM clinical efficacy evaluation has developed rapidly,accumulated research and experience,improved the quality and standardization of research,but also gradually found deep-seated deficiencies.In 2019,the China Center for Evidence-based Traditional Chinese Medicine(CCEBTCM)was established,and TCM was included in the 11th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases(ICD-11).In above opportunities for TCM clinical efficacy evaluation,it is necessary to face up to the previous deficiencies,so that the TCM clinical efficacy evaluation can truly reflect the actual clinical practice characteristics,including TCM clinical problems,TCM thinking and TCM diagnosis&treatment mode.Based on the summary and analysis of past research,development concepts are proposed in this article.On the one hand,original concepts of TCM should be confidently paid more attention to the design and implementation of TCM clinical efficacy evaluation to be close to TCM clinical practice.On the other hand,it is necessary to consolidate the foundation of TCM clinical practice before evaluating efficacy.Evaluated object built on TCM ontology knowledge should be demonstrated based on clinical practice,and unknown evaluated object combined with new methods,technologies and concepts should be maturely integrated in clinical practice firstly.
文摘Objective: To observe the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine nursing on the recovery of gastrointestinal function after abdominal operation. Methods: A total of 148 patients undergoing abdominal surgery from June 2013 to June 2014 in our hospital were randomly divided into observation group and control group, 74 cases in each group. The control group received routine nursing and the observation group was treated with the pointer, acupuncture and external application of abdominal treatment on the basis of routine nursing, which is 2 times a day,7 days for a course of treatment. Results: The recovery time of bowel sound, the first anal exhaust defecation time the in the observation group and the hospital day was less than the control group. With the comparison of two groups, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of abdominal pain, abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting and constipation in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: On the basis of routine nursing, the implementation of traditional Chinese medicine characteristic nursing can effectively promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, reduce the occurrence of complications, shorten the length of stay and improve the clinical effect.
文摘Objective:Patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were treated with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine,and the final results were observed.Methods:70 patients with such symptoms were randomly divided into two groups.The number of people is the same,and the treatment methods are different.The control group uses western medicine,while the observation group uses traditional Chinese medicine to evaluate the treatment effect.Results:After treatment,the effective rate of the observation group was(P<0.05),indicating that the treatment effect was significantly better.Conclusion:Patients with clinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy treated with routine nutrition and nerve repair,and with Chinese medicine,the effect is more satisfactory,and the effect is positive,so as to promote the optimization of their health.
基金This study was supported by the Key Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81830115).
文摘To present the advances of evidence-based medicine and clinical research methodology in integrative oncology,we conducted a literature review of real-world studies of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in cancer care and summarized the available evidence.Pragmatic randomized controlled trials(pRCTs)and clinical registry studies are becoming more popular as they could compensate for the limitations of RCTs.Many RCTs of TCM for cancer treatment as well as systematic reviews have been published.The most investigated therapies are based on acupuncture,Chinese herbal compounds,and Chinese patent medicines.Acupuncture has a significant advantage in relieving cancer-related symptoms.Published studies focus more on improving clinical symptoms and laboratory indicators.However,the patient's quality of life deserves more attention.
文摘Herbal traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is used to treat several ailments, but its efficiency is poorly documented and hence debated, as opposed to modern medicine commonly providinge ffective therapies. The aim of this review article is to present a practical reference guide on the role of herbal TCM in managing gastrointestinal disorders, supported by systematic reviews and evidence based trials. A literature search using herbal TCM combined with terms for gastrointestinal disorders in Pub Med and the Cochrane database identified publications of herbal TCM trials. Results were analyzed for study type, inclusion criteria, and outcome parameters. Quality of placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials was poor, mostly neglecting stringent evidence based diagnostic and therapeutic criteria. Accordingly, appropriate Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses were limited and failed to support valid, clinically relevant evidence based efficiency of herbal TCM in gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. In conclusion, the use of herbal TCM to treat various diseases has an interesting philosophical background with a long history, but it received increasing skepticism due to the lack of evidence based efficiency as shown by high quality trials; this has now been summarized for gastrointestinal disorders, with TCM not recommended for most gastrointestinal diseases. Future studies should focus on placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials, herbal product quality and standard criteria for diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and assessment of adverse herb reactions. This approach will provide figures of risk/benefit profiles that hopefully are positive for at least some treatment modalities of herbal TCM. Proponents of modern herbal TCM best face these promising challenges of pragmaticmodern medicine by bridging the gap between the two medicinal cultures.