Digestive Disorders: Clinical Research on TCM

In a study by We Dian, people with chronic gastritis received Clearing Heat and Nourishing Stomach Decoction (containing gentiana, oldenlandia, dandelion, tang kuei, peony, licorice, and curcuma). A control group received the drug furazolidone. In the herb group, 57 percent were cured and 17 percent were improved. In the drug group, 36 percent were cured and 14 percent were improved.

• With a study of gastritis by You Deshi, 46 patients received an herbal decoction (bupleurum, red peony, salvia, dandelion, and dictamnus) along with the drug cimetidine. A control group of 35 patients received cimetidine alone. People receiving the herb plus cimetidine showed a cure rate of 85 percent, while people receiving only cimetidine had a cure rate of 23 percent. Six months after treatment, the relapse rate was only 9 percent in the herb-plus-drug group, but 44 percent in the cimetidine-only group.
  
  
• A 1998 study in the special November CAM issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association focused on irritable bowel syndrome, which affects up to 20 percent of the population with symptoms including bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. For this study, 116 patients with irritable bowel syndrome were treated for sixteen weeks with herbs or a placebo. This Australian study found that the Chinese herbal formulation significantly improved irritable bowel syndrome.

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From THE BEST ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: WHAT WORKS? WHAT DOES NOT? by Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier.
Copyright © 2000 by Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, New York.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier. All Rights Reserved.
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