Zhang HZ 1999.

Methods	Generation of allocation sequence: unstated. Blinding: not used. Sample size estimation: no information. Withdrawal/drop‐out: unstated.
Participants	Ethnic: Chinese; 168 patients (86 in treatment group, M/F 35/51, mean age 48 years (30‐70), mean disease duration 7 years (1‐17 years); 80 in control group, M/F 31/49, mean age 46 years (28‐70), mean disease duration 7 years (1‐15 years)). Setting: unspecified. Inclusion criteria: type 2 diabetes mellitus, diagnosed by WHO criteria (WHO 1980), differentiated as Qi‐Yin deficiency by diagnostic criteria of Chinese medicine; among them 62 cases complicated with hyperlipaemia, 44 with hypertension, 17 with previous cerebral embolism, 38 with coronary heart disease, and 22 with peripheral neuropathy. Exclusion criteria: unstated.
Interventions	Experimental intervention: Xiaoke Wan (mixture of 7 herbs plus glibenclamide) pill, 5‐10 pills (containing 1.25‐2.5 mg glibenclamide) orally, 2‐3 times daily, for two months. Control intervention: glibenclamide, 1.25‐2.5 mg orally, 2‐3 times daily, for two months.
Outcomes	Symptoms and FBG. No follow‐up was reported.
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	B ‐ Unclear