Clinical Research on Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Demonstration of a Comprehensive Methodology

The best way to approach research on Chinese medicine would be one that takes full reference to the methodology being used in modern medicine. This would enable traditional medicine to be elevated to a level of universal acceptance. However, problems lie in difficulties to achieve uniform herb supply; randomization and placebo arrangement in clinical trials; and uncertain chemical structures and pharmacological effects. A detailed account is given on the clinical research on diabetic foot ulcers, in which a strictly evidence-based, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted, while parallel mechanistic studies were done in the laboratory and the herbs used were adequately authenticated at the same time. The encouraging clinical efficacy supports further studies encouraged by the revealed mechanisms of action of the herbs. Reformulation of the herbal composition could also be planned with the knowledge of their quality and mode of action.