Shouhui Tongbian Capsule in treatment of constipation: Treatment and mechanism development

Constipation is common in the diseases of the digestive system in clinics. With the change in diet structure and the increase in life pressure, the prevalence rate increases year by year. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the location of the disease of constipation is in the large intestine, which is related to the dysfunction of lung, spleen, liver, kidney and other viscera. Its pathogenesis is conductive dysfunction of large intestine. Based on the theory, Shouhui Tongbian Capsule (SHTB) is composed of eight traditional Chinese medicines, including Polygoni multiflori Radix (Heshouwu in Chinese), Aloe (Luhui in Chinese), Cassiae Semen (Juemingzi in Chinese), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen in Chinese), Lycii Fructus (Gouqizi in Chinese), Asini Corii Colla (Ejiao in Chinese), Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhishi in Chinese), and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu in Chinese), which could help to release excessive turbid, and nourishing yin and supplementing qi in the treatment. This study has been carried out to review the latest advances of SHTB in the treatment of constipation. The results showed that significant effect of SHTB was found in the treatment of constipation, such as functional constipation, and constipation associated with tumor chemotherapy, colitis, type 2 diabetes and chronic cardiac failure. Besides, obvious adverse reactions were not observed. SHTB could effectively treat five types of constipation, provide direction for the future exploration of SHTB in the treatment of other types of constipation.