Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part F (2025)

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic upper abdominal discomfort, early satiety, bloating, and nausea, with complex pathophysiology involving gastric motility dysfunction, visceral hypersensitivity, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. This review evaluates the efficacy and mechanisms of key herbal remedies including Banha-sasim-tang, Foeniculi fructus, ginger, Zhizhu Kuanzhong, Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San, Kvass, STW 5-II, and Persian-FACT-in managing FD symptoms through gut microbiota modulation, anti-inflammatory effects, and motility regulation. Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that these herbal formulations restore gastric emptying, enhance intestinal transit, and rebalance microbial communities. Collectively, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of herbal medicines as adjunct or alternative treatments for FD, bridging traditional knowledge and modern mechanistic insights. Further large-scale, randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate long-term efficacy and standardization.