Objective To summarize the law of commonly used prescriptions and couplet medicines for gastroesophageal reflux disease（ GERD）. Methods Medical literature on traditional Chinese medicine treatment of GERD published between the year 1994 and 2014 was reviewed. Information such as syndrome differentiation

medications for various types

etc. was extracted to establish a database with Microsoft Excel 2003. Frequency analysis for syndromes

prescriptions

and couplet medicines were conducted use the Crosstabs method. Results A total of 350 articles were included in the database. There were 6 common basic syndromes

including syndrome of incoordination between liver and stomach

syndrome of dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency

stagnated heat in liver and stomach syndrome

qi stagnation and phlegm stasis syndrome

spleen-hypofunction and reverse qi syndrome

and deficiency cold in spleen and stomach syndrome. A total of 109 prescriptions and 143 traditional Chinese medicines were used.GERD with syndrome of incoordination between liver and stomach treated mainly with Chaihu Shugan Powder（ 柴胡疏肝散）; syndrome of dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency mainly with Banxia Xiexin Decotion（ 半夏泻心汤）;syndrome of stagnated heat in liver and stomach syndrome commonly with Zuojin Pill（ 左金丸）; syndrome of qi stagnation and phlegm stasis syndrome mainly with Banxia Houpu Decotion（ 半夏厚朴汤）; syndrome of spleen-hypofunction and reverse qi syndrome mainly with Xuanfu Daizhe Decoction（ 旋覆代赭汤）; and syndrome of eficiency cold in spleen and stomach syndrome with Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction（ 黄芪建中汤）. The 19 couplet medicines with high frequency use in the literature include Banxia（ Pinellia

半夏） and Huanglian（ Coptidis

黄连）

Huangqin（ Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis

黄芩） and Huanglian（ Coptidis

黄连）

Shaoyao（ Peony

芍药） and Chaihu（ Licorice

Bupleurum

柴 胡） and Baishao（ Radices Paeoniae Alba

白 芍）. Conclusion Chinese medicine treatment of GERD pays attention to syndrome differentiation theory. Starting from the overall concept

there are some rules to follow. Based on the main prescriptions and main medicines

considering the characteristics of pathogenesis syndrome comprehensively

the other drugs should be combined appropriately

so that to take into account the pathogenesis more extensively to improve the therapeutic effect of main drugs

or to prevent the over-effect of main drugs

or resist the potential side effects of drugs.