title: [System review of the Chinese medicine bushenhuoxue for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To make a system review of the effects of Bushenhuoxue (kidney-tonifying and blood-activating prescription), a category of compound Chinese medicines, on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and its side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the research articles about Chinese medicines treating BPH from January 1978 to February 2003 were retrieved using the methods of international evidence-based medicine (EBM), and their qualities were evaluated based on JADAD standard and concealment of research allocation. Then the included articles went through META-analysis with Revman 4.2 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The efficacy of Bushenhuoxue on BPH was better than Qianliekang but not statistically different from finasteride. The combined use of Bushenhuoxue with surgery had no statistical difference from mere surgical treatment. Four articles reported the side effects of this compound Chinese medicine including upset and pain in the abdomen, nausea, diarrhea and dryness of the nose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Massive, multi-center and randomized controlled clinical trials should be conducted to find out more effective methods for treating BPH with Chinese medicines based on the improvement of measurable symptom evaluation method and for evaluating their side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Students, Affiliated Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shiyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jichun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Shuwu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal