Comparative clinical study of duodongning"Equation missing" and ritalin in treating attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and ritalin in treating attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect and side-effects of Duodongning (DDN), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) granule in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Methods: Double blind method was used to compare DDN with ritalin for ADHD in clinical practice from December 1995 to December 1996. The total number of cases was 70.Results: There were 37 cases in DDN group, with 17 cases (45.9 %) markedly effective, 16 cases (43.2%) effective, the Conners hyperactive index (HI) 2. 01 ± 0. 83 (before treatment), 1.17 ± 0.76 (after 4 weeks ’ treatment); and there were 33 cases in the ritalin group, with 15 cases (45.5%) markedly effective, 14 cases (42.4%) effective, HI2.07±0.91 (before treatment), 1.47±0.79 (after 4 weeks’ treatment). Insignificant difference existed between the effectiveness in these 2 groups (P > 0.05). The chief side-effects were 3 cases (8.1%) of anorexia in DDN group, and 7 cases (21.2%) in ritalin group.Conclusion: The effect of DDN is not significantly different from that of ritalin, and the side-effects in ritalin group were more than those in DDN group.