This study will include both randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled trials
assessing the efficacy and safety of turmeric or its compounds in comparison to a placebo or any other active
interventions for digestive disorders without any restrictions on participant age or language of publication. The
primary outcome is the proportion of patients that have experienced treatment success. Secondary outcomes are
the prevalence of an individual symptom of digestive disorders, the proportion of patients who experienced relapse,
the number of physician visits/hospitalization due to digestive disorders, health-related quality of life and the
proportion of patients who experienced adverse events. Relevant studies will be identified through MEDLINE,
EMBASE, AMED, Dissertations & Theses Database and the Cochrane Central Register of Control Trials from their
inception to August 31, 2013. In addition, grey literature such as information published on drug regulatory agencies
websites and abstracts/proceedings from conferences will also be reviewed. A calibration exercise will be
conducted in a process of study screening, whereby two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts
from the literature search. Any conflicts will be resolved through a subsequent team discussion. The same process
will be adopted in data abstraction and methodological quality appraisal by the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the
Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We will describe study and patient characteristics, risk of bias/methodological quality
results, and outcomes of the included studies. If we have sufficient data and homogeneity, a random effects
meta-analysis will be performed.