Traditional Chinese medicine is effective for recurrent respiratory infections in children: Study
Indeed, the adoption of YPF in RRTI treatment could benefit thousands of children worldwide, and especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. YPF could be one among a line of TCMs gaining worldwide recognition for their treatment benefits, crossing out the “pseudo” while focusing on the “science.”
The practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) commenced as early as 14th century BC, and it has now become an active hotspot of research. Despite this, TCM is frequently viewed with great skepticism in the Western world and equated to a pseudoscience. This is often because the effects of TCMs are poorly understood and few studies have documented their efficacy and safety via randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). One such TCM is Yupingfeng (YPF, 玉屏风)—a patented formula available as compounded granules that includes Astragali radix (Huangqi), Atractylodis macrocephalae rhizoma (Baizhu), and Saposhnikoviae radix (Fangfeng)—which is often used in China to treat recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in children. Although YPF is known to improve immune function, the evidence for its efficacy against pediatric RRTIs has remained weak.
To address this gap, a large group of researchers from China conducted a multicenter RCT to evaluate the safety and efficacy of YPF in children with RRTIs. The results from this double-blind RCT were first published on June 2, 2022, in the journal Pediatric Investigation. Prof. Kunling Shen, who spearheaded this study, explains that they “wanted to perform a rigorous investigation to understand the therapeutic benefits of YPF. This is why we conducted a large scale RCT, the gold standard of clinical studies, and enrolled patients not from a single center but from multiple hospitals.”
This study enrolled 351 children with RRTIs (aged 2–6 years) who were randomly divided into three groups. While the first group received YPF, the second group received pidotimod—a conventional allopathic drug used for RRTI treatment since the ’90s. The third group only received placebo treatment. To remove as much bias as possible, neither the patients nor their doctors were made aware of the treatment being administered. Following 8 weeks of treatment, the investigators examined the proportion of patients in whom the frequency of infections reduced to average levels (i.e., RRTIs returning to normal standard). They also examined the reduction in RRTI events and safety in each group.
During 52 weeks of follow-up after the treatment, the proportion of RRTIs returning to normal standard was only 39% in the placebo group. However, it was much better at 73% and 67% in the YPF and pidotimod groups, respectively. These two groups also showed a substantially greater reduction in RRTI events during the follow-up. Moreover, the safety profile was similar across all three groups. Together, the findings indicated that YPF was not inferior to pidotimod in treating RRTIs and did not have any safety issues either. YPF also costs less than pidotimod and was thus a more economically feasible option.
“The strength of our study lies in its rigorous design. It is the largest multicenter study to prove that YPF, a TCM, can be as effective as an allopathic drug in treating RRTIs. It is a major step forward in sharing the benefits of TCM with the world,” comments Prof. Rong Ma, who led this study along with Prof. Shen.
Indeed, this study has cemented the value of YPF in treating RRTIs, which are common among children in China and in other parts of the world. It shows that TCMs can be as effective and safe as allopathic drugs, even though we may not fully understand the biological mechanisms underlying their effects. Dr. Julian L. Allen, an Associate Editor at Pediatric Investigation, wrote an editorial and said “Just because we don’t understand how a drug works, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. This well-designed RCT could be an important step in addressing western skepticism surrounding TCM and reaping the benefits of its holistic effects.”
Indeed, the adoption of YPF in RRTI treatment could benefit thousands of children worldwide, and especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. YPF could be one among a line of TCMs gaining worldwide recognition for their treatment benefits, crossing out the “pseudo” while focusing on the “science.”
Original article by admin, if reproduced, please cite the source as: https://www.tcmha.com/tcmnews/traditional-chinese-medicine-is-effective-for-recurrent-respiratory-infections-in-children-study.html
相关推荐
-
Long Covid: how traditional Chinese medicine can help with symptoms from fatigue and persistent cough to erectile dysfunction
More people are turning to traditional Chinese medicine to recover from long Covid, a Hong Kong-based practitioner says. While there is no specific herb to treat long Covid – each patient is assessed according to their unique presentation – there are some broad guidelines.
-
Cinnamon Can Spice Up Your Diet, and Your Wellness Routine
Cinnamon smells inviting—and it turns out, that’s because it’s welcoming you to partake in some serious bodily benefits. Derived from trees belonging to the Cinnamomum genus, cinnamon bark contains potassium, manganese, and calcium, along with protective polyphenols, or plant compounds with antioxidant properties.
-
Traditional Chinese Medicine Market expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% to reach US$ 49.6 Bn by the end of 2033
The Global revenue from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Market was around US$ 28.7 Billion in 2022, with the global market expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% to reach a valuation of around US$ 49.6 Billion by the end of 2033.
-
Traditional Chinese medicine effective in treating mild Covid-19 cases, overseas study finds
Clinical trial conducted in Pakistan using Jinhua Qinggan granules, recommended for use in mainland China’s treatment of the disease, found a shorter recovery time.But researchers acknowledge that patients with severe underlying medical conditions were not included in study
-
Traditional Chinese Medicines ignore science, pose safety concerns, says report
The presence of toxins in Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM), their questionable clinical trials and lack of scientific evidence about their efficacy are raising many eyebrows. The detailed results of the trials of TCM are also not being published in public and the presence of toxins is not indicated on the packaging of TCM products due to lack of guidelines and required regulations, according to Inside Over. Arthur Grollman, a cancer researcher at Stony Brook University in New York, has published work showing how Aristolochic acid, an ingredient in many TCM…
-
Pakistan says trial of Chinese traditional medicine for COVID-19 successful
KARACHI, Pakistan, Jan 17 (Reuters) – Pakistani health authorities on Monday announced the completion of a successful clinical trial of Chinese traditional herbal medicine for treating COVID-19, as the South Asian nation enters a fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the Omicron variant. The Chinese medicine, Jinhua Qinggan Granules (JHQG) manufactured by Juxiechang (Beijing) pharmaceutical Co Ltd, is already being used in treatment of COVID-19 patients in China. “Since it was tried on patients with different variants of COVID-19, we expect it to be effective on Omicron as on…
-
Hong Kong to further leverage Traditional Chinese Medicine in fighting COVID-19: Carrie Lam
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will continue to leverage the advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and consolidate the TCM as an integral part of the medical system in Hong Kong, Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam said on Saturday. Lam visited the Hong Kong Baptist University’s Chinese Medicine Telemedicine Center Against COVID-19 and learned about an online consultation service for COVID-19 patients launched by the university’s TCM team last month. The consultation service has provided free…
-
Beijing Winter Olympics: Traditional Chinese Medicine to feature during the games
In February, athletes from around the world will have a chance to learn about traditional Chinese culture up-close. The Olympic Village has dedicated an area to the history and legacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM. Li Jianhua has more. It’s about a month away from the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. By then, the Olympic village will be hustling and bustling with over 2,000 athletes and team officials from across the world. One exhibition booth is likely to pique the interest of many athletes. Chinese elements, featuring the Eight Diagrams…
-
Cameroon medical workers get TCM training
When Cameroonian health authorities announced that experts of traditional Chinese medicine will be providing lectures on TCM, Eunice Nchang was among the first to arrive at the lecture hall. A medical worker with extensive experience in the treatment of injury, disease and disorders through physical methods, Nchang had witnessed the palpable results of TCM on her patients. Five years ago, a middle-aged woman with a back injury made a three-hour journey to Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital in the capital Yaounde where Nchang works, to get treatment and she was referred…
-
Sunbathing increasingly popular due to link with TCM therapy
In fact, some of the Chinese fans of sunbathing wear head-to-toe sun-protective clothing when enjoying the sunshine as their aim is not to tan their skin, but to boost their yang qi – a vital energy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
