Trial of Chinese Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs)

The Jing Fang Bai Du san can relieve external symptoms and effectively clear up the pathogenic cold. It contains 13 herbs including, Radix Angelicae Pubescentis, Radix Peucedani, Radix Ginseng, Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Fructus Aurantii, Radix Platycodi, GlycyrrhizaeRadix, Herba Schizonepetae, Fructus Arctii, MenthaeFolium, Radix Saposhnikoviae, Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii.The CHM preparations were manufactured and supplied by Pura Pharm International (H.K.) Ltd., in the form of concentrated granules which follows the GMP standard. None of the herbs in these two formulas are included in the Toxic Chinese Herbal Medicine List of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance Schedule 1 or being a controlled substance, animal product, or endangered species.

The sachets of the CHM formulae and placebo were identical in appearance except for the randomization numbers. The placebo contains Maltose-dextrine granules that are identical in weight, appearance, flavour and texture as the CHM granules. Both the Chinese medicine practitioner who assessed the subjects and the subjects were blinded to the nature of the treatment. The pharmaceutical supplier kept the medication and placebo codes, which were broken at the end of the study after completion of all the assessment and data analyses.

The Ying Qiao san can relieve external symptoms and effectively clear up the pathogenic heat. It contains 10 herbs: Fructus Forsythiae, LoniceraeFlos, Radix Platycodi, MenthaeFolium, GlycyrrhizaeRadix, Herba Schizonepetae, Sojae Semen praeparatum, Fructus Arctii, PhragmitisRhizoma and LophatheriHerba. The CHM preparations were manufactured and supplied by Pura Pharm International (H.K.) Ltd., in the form of concentrated granules which follows the GMP standard. None of the herbs in these two formulas are included in the Toxic Chinese Herbal Medicine List of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance Schedule 1 or being a controlled substance, animal product, or endangered species.