Objective 　To assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD) and compare the difference of efficacy between Chinese herbal medicine and western medicine.
Methods 　Based on the principles and methods of Cochrane systematic reviews, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, CBMdisc and CNKI from inception to Dec. 2008. And we also handsearched relevant journals and conference proceedings. We evaluated the risk of bias in the included randomized controlled trials(RCTs) according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. The Cochrane Collaboration’s software RevMan 4.2.8 was used for meta-analysis.
Results 　Seven studies involving 981 patients were identified. The results of meta-analysis showed that: (1) There was no significant difference between Dalitong granule and cisaprid in effective rates (RR=1.03, 95%CI 0.97 to 1.09, P=0.36), piman syndrome (RR=1.06, 95%CI 0.96 to 1.18, P=0.23), gastric emptying function (RR=1.05, 95%CI 0.76 to 1.45, P=0.78), syndromes of TCM (WMD=0.41, 95%CI –1.05 to 1.87, P=0.58), pulse and tongue picture (RR=1.00, 95%CI 0.69 to 1.45, P=0.98), and adverse reaction (RR=1.00, 95%CI 0.69 to 1.45, P=0.46). (2) There was no significant difference between Weishuan pellet and cisaprid on effective rates (RR=1.02, 95%CI 0.96 to 1.07, P=0.53), piman syndrome (RR=1.06, 95%CI 0.97 to 1.15, P=0.19), gastric emptying function (RR=1.05, 95%CI 0.86 to 1.28, P=0.63), syndromes of TCM (WMD=0.70, 95%CI 0.11 to 1.29, P=0.02) and adverse reaction (RR=0.33, 95%CI 0.02 to 5.28, P=0.44). (3) There was no significant difference among Jianpiyiqi prescription (RR=1.16, 95%CI 1.00 to 1.34, P=0.05), Liqifuwei oral liquid (RR=1.00, 95%CI 0.91 to 1.11, P=0.94) and Jianpixiaozhang granules (RR=0.88, 95%CI 0.76 to 1.00, P=0.06) compared with cisaprid in effective rates (P gt;0.05). (4) There was no significant difference between Hewei Xiaopi Capsule and domperidone on effective rates (RR=1.11, 95%CI 0.87 to 1.41, P=0.42) and piman syndrome (RR=1.07, 95%CI 0.93 to 1.24, P=0.35).
Conclusion 　Chinese herbal medicine has a better clinical cure rate and marks of TCM syndrome on FD than western medicine. But we have no adequate evidence to confirm whether western medicine can be substituted by Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of FD. Therefore, we need more high quality RCTs to confirm this conclusion.

Citation： LIU Jiali,ZHANG Yijie,SONG Yongxi,TANG Jingchao,WANG Zhenning,XU Huimian. Chinese and Western Medicine for Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 2009, 09(12): 1314-1322. doi: 10.7507/1672-2531.20090240 Copy