SINGAPORE, Dec. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, according to multiple reports from local Singaporean media, confirmed cases of COVID-19 are steadily increasing, with the average number of daily hospitalizations on the rise. The virus, once vigorously fought against, seems to be making a comeback, bringing respiratory health issues back into public focus. Faced with the renewed threat of the virus, aside from ensuring the effectiveness of vaccination and practicing mask-wearing for protection, the question arises: Is the commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, especially Lianhua Qingwen Capsules, still a reliable partner in alleviating symptoms and safeguarding respiratory health? The release of the latest international clinical study results may provide some answers.
Findings from this international study were published on November 28, 2023, in the international journal Virology Journal. The study involved 816 patients from 17 hospitals in China, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other countries. These patients were diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19 according to the World Health Organization's criteria. In a 1:1 ratio, patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group. In the treatment group, patients took Lianhua Qingwen Capsules three times a day for 14 consecutive days, with four capsules each time.
The results showed that the treatment with Lianhua Qingwen Capsules significantly shortened the median time for improvement or relief of COVID-19 symptoms to around 4 days. The nine main clinical symptoms included nasal congestion/runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, weakness/easy fatigue, muscle pain, headache, chills/shivering, and fever.
Furthermore, the relief rate of the main COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days in the Lianhua Qingwen Capsules treatment group reached 86.8%, significantly higher than 71.9% in the control group. Safety assessments revealed no reports of severe adverse reactions among all subjects.
The investigators concluded that treatment with Lianhua Qingwen Capsules could increase the clinical recovery rate, reduce the probability of developing into critical conditions, and demonstrate good safety.
In fact, while widely used in clinical treatment in the past, Lianhua Qingwen Capsules have been the subject of numerous scientific studies, with over 120 published papers, including more than 60 SCI papers, and a cumulative impact factor exceeding 300 points. This study, using international standards of multicenter, double-blind and randomized controlled trials, once again elevated the clinical evidence level of the efficacy and safety of Lianhua Qingwen Capsules.
The investigators also pointed out that the strength of this study lies in recruiting a large sample of patients from four countries in the Western Pacific region, allowing for extrapolation to the Asian population.
(Picture: Lianhua Qingwen Capsules displayed on shelves in a well-known supermarket in Singapore)
According to official information, Lianhua Qingwen Capsules are patented traditional Chinese medicine independently developed and produced by Yiling Pharmaceutical. It was registered and approved for sale in Singapore as a "Chinese patent medicine" in May 2020, and it is available in pharmacies and supermarkets.
As the evidence from studies continues to accumulate, traditional Chinese medicines like Lianhua Qingwen Capsules are gaining more attention internationally. According to an announcement from Yiling Pharmaceutical, as of now, Lianhua Qingwen Capsules have been registered and marketed in more than 30 countries and regions worldwide.