Objective To summarize the therapies and medications of TCM for Alzheimer’s disease（ AD） and vascular dementia（ VD） through literature. Methods The randomized controlled trials（ RCTs） of TCM for AD and VD were searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure

VIP Database

Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Wanfang Database. The literature feature

TCM therapies and medications in the included articles were extracted and analyzed. The high frequent used herbs were analyzed as well. Results Totally 265 articles were included and 58 articles related to TCM for AD and 207 articles related to TCM for VD. There were 74 articles with clear TCM syndromes. Sixteen TCM therapies were involved. The top 5 TCM therapies for AD were nourishing essence and replenishing the marrow（ 46）

dissipating phlegm（ 39）

quickening blood（ 33）

strengthening the spleen（ 15） and benefiting qi（ 14）. The top 5 TCM therapies for VD were quickening blood（ 178）

dissipating phlegm（ 147）

nourishing essence and replenishing the marrow（ 128）

benefiting qi（ 92） and suppressing hyperactive liver and subsiding yang（ 60）. There were 34 high frequency herbs for AD and 9 clustering formulas were gained. The top 10 herbs for AD were Shichangpu（ Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii

石菖蒲）

Chuanxiong（ Rhizoma Chuanxiong

川芎）

Danshen（ Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae

丹参）

Yuanzhi（ Radix Polygalae

远志）

Heshouwu（ Radix Polygoni Multiflori

何首乌）

Shanzhuyu（ Fructus Corni

山茱萸）

Fuling（ Poria

茯苓）

Gouqizi（ Fructus Lycii

枸杞子）

Shudihuang（ Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata

熟地黄） and Yizhiren（ Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus

益智仁）. There were 38 high frequency herbs for VD and 9 clustering formulas were gained. The top 10 herbs for VD were Shichangpu

Chuanxiong

Yuanzhi

Danshen

Heshouwu

Huangqi（ Radix Astragali

黄芪）

Shuizhi（ Hirudo

水 蛭）

Danggui（ Radix Angelicae Sinensis

当归）

Fuling and Huangjing（ Rhizoma Polygonati

黄精）. Conclusion The common TCM therapies for AD and VD are nourishing essence and replenishing the marrow

quickening blood and dissipating phlegm

but mainly nourishing essence and replenishing the marrow for AD and quickening blood and dissipating phlegm for VD.