OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of self-formulated Xingchang Decoction (XCD) in treating slow-transit constipation (STC) and the dynamical parameters of colonic motility during XCD treatment.

METHODSOne hundred and eighteen patients with STC were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 59 in each group. The treatment group was treated with XCD, and the control group was treated with mosapride, an intestinal energetic agent. The therapeutic course for both groups was 30 days. The 72-h colonic transition test was conducted and the symptom scores were observed before and after treatment; the adverse reaction rate and clinical efficacy were calculated after treatment; and the recurrence rate in one year was followed-up.

RESULTSSymptom scores were significantly improved in the treatment group after treatment, with the improvement significantly superior to that in the control group (P < 0.01). The cure rate and the total effective rate were 76.27% and 93.22% in the treatment group respectively, while they were 47.45% and 72.87% in the control group, showing significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). Besides, the 1-year recurrence rate was significantly lower (chi2 = 10.40, P = 0.001) and the improvement of colonic motor function was more in the treatment group than those in the control group (P < 0.01). Only low incidence (5.08% in the treatment group and 8.47% in the control group) of mild gastrointestinal reactions was shown, which caused no influence on the treatment.

CONCLUSIONXCD could effectively improve the motility of the digestive tract, and it is effective and safe for the treatment of STC.