Basic characteristics of the included studies
| Study ID | Sample size (randomised/analysed) M/F | Age (years) | Diagnosis standard | Intervention | Control | Course (week) | Outcome measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tong40 | 60/60 T: 30 C: 30 F/M: NR | 40–60 (T/C: NR) | GCRNDTCM | JLD (1 dose/day) | felodipine (5 mg, qd) | 4 | BP |
| He et al41 | 60/60 T: 15/15 C: 17/13 | T: 54.89±5.34 C: 57.36±6.47 | GCRNDTCM | JLD (1 dose/day) | felodipine (5 mg, qd) | 4 | BP |
| Fan et al42 | 50/50 T: 14/11 C: 13/12 | T: 64.80±7.40 C: 63.70±6.90 | WHO-ISH GMH-1999 | JLD (1 dose/day) | felodipine (2.5 mg, qd) | 4 | BP; QOL |
| Cai43 | 100/100 T: 35/15 C: 34/16 | T: 50–81 C: 47–84 | WHO-ISH GMH-1985 | modified JLD (1 dose/day)+control | nifedipine (10 mg, tid) | 4 | BP; adverse effect |
| Zhang44 | 90/89 T1: 16/14 T2: 17/13 C: 15/14 | T1: 58.23±8.26 T2: 58.45±6.87 C: 59.16±9.28 | WHO-ISH GMH-1999 | T1: modified JLD (1 dose/day) T2: modified JLD (1 dose/day)+control | enalapril (10 mg, bid) | 4 | BP; adverse effect |
| Zhang45 | 60/57 T: 15/14 C: 12/16 | T: 56.41±10.98 C: 58.57±8.21 | CGMH-2005 | modified JLD (1 dose/day)+control | enalapril (10 mg, bid) | 3 | BP; adverse effect |
| Jiang and Cao46 | 82/82 T: 26/16 C: 23/17 | T: 60–75 C: 62–75 | WHO-ISH GMH-1999 | modified JLD (100 mL/day)+control | benazepril hydrochloride (10 mg, tid) | 4 | BP |
| Chu and Xu47 | 67/67 T: 19/15 C: 17/16 | T: 67.00±7.20 C: 68.00±5.90 | WHO-ISH GMH-1999 | modified JLD (100 mL/day)+control | nifedipine controlled release tablet (30 mg, qd) | 4 | BP |
| Liu et al48 | 60/60 T: 30 C: 30 F/M: NR | 18–70 (T/C: NR) | JNC 7 | modified JLD (100 mL/day)+control | enalapril (10 mg, bid) | 3 | BP; adverse effect |
| Li49 | 60/60 T: 16/14 C: 17/13 | T: 64.33±7.96 C: 61.20±10.23 | CGMH-2010 | modified JLD (400 mL/day)+control | nifedipine controlled release tablet (30 mg, qd) and irbesartan (150 mg, qd) | 4 | BP; adverse effect |
Bid, twice daily; BP, blood pressure; C, control group; CGMH, Chinese Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension; F, female; GCRNDTCM, Guidelines of Clinical Research of New Drugs of Traditional Chinese Medicine; JLD, Jian Ling Decoction; JNC 7, Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure; M, male; NR, not reported; qd, four times a day; QOL, quality of life; T, treatment group; tid, three times a day; WHO-ISH GMH, WHO-ISH guidelines for the management of hypertension.