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Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 5 No. 3 September - December 2007 Úı˘
common cold, e.g., cough, phlegm, nasal secretion, cine, Ministry of Public Health. This research project
headache, tiredness, earache, sleeplessness, and sore was a randomized controlled open-label study con-
12-14
throat. ducted in 15 health service centers and 1 hospital
Later on clinical studies were conducted on the under the Nonthaburi Provincial Public Health Office
product of Swedish Herbal Institute called Kan Jang , during the period October 2004 - March 2006.
a fixed combination of SHA-10 standardized A. The inclusion criteria for the study subjects were
paniculata extract and SHE-3 standardized extract of (1) male or female aged 18-65 years of age, (2) having
Eleutherococcus senticosus, which was found to be a febrile influenza-like illness for no longer than 36
effective in the treatment of uncomplicated upper hours, with a fever of 38˚C or higher, (3) having at
15-17
respiratory tract infection including sinusitis. In least one respiratory symptom, i.e., nasal congestion/
addition, it was shown that, when taken as an adju- runny nose, cough, or sore throat, (4) having at least
vant at the early stage of uncomplicated commnon one of the constitutional symptoms, i.e., headache,
colds in children, Kan Jang was more effective than malaise, myalgia, sweating/chill or fatigue, which had
Immunal (standardized extract of Echinacea purpu- occurred for no longer than 36 hours, (5) positive re-
rea) in accelerating the recovery time and lessening sults of the Quick Vue Influenza Test of nasal secre-
the severity of the common cold, especially the amount tion specimens, indicating laboratory-confirmed in-
17
of nasal secretion and nasal congestion. Two sys- fluenza, (6) ability to use the visual analog scale (VAS)
tematic reviews later confirmed the therapeutic effi- to rate the severity of the symptoms, and (7) agree-
cacy of A. paniculata in the treatment of uncompli- ment to avoid drinking alcohol or taking other medi-
18-19
cated acute upper respiratory tract infection. How- cations.
ever, there has been no study on the efficacy of this The exclusion criteria were (1) received influ-
herb in influenza reported so far. enza vaccine within the previous 12 months, (2) had
This study was therefore conducted to deter- the following symptoms, i.e., pneumonia, otitis me-
mine whether A. paniculata capsules, which is al- dia, bronchitis, severe bacterial pharyngitis or previ-
ready an herbal medicine in Thailandûs National List ous history of Streptococcus group A infection, (3)
of Essential Drugs for the common cold, would also respiratory rate > 20/minute and crepitation of the
be effective for the relief of the symptoms of influ- lung, (4) took antibiotic, antihistamine, cough and cold
enza. If that is proven to be the case, its indication medications prior to the study, (5) hypersensitive to
in the National List of Essential Drugs could then be paracetamol or A. paniculata, (6) alcoholic or drug
expanded to cover influenza as well, and the herb addict, and (7) pregnant or nursing mother.
should then be promoted for use in the common cold Patients would be discontinued from the study
and influenza in the primary health care. The use of if they no longer wanted to participate in the study,
A. paniculata in such cases will promote the self- their symptoms become much worse, or their respi-
reliance of the countryûs pharmaceutical industry with ratory diseases were later diagnosed as being some-
regard to the production of medicine to replace im- thing other than influenza, or they were allergic to
ported and expensive antiviral agent against influ- the medications used in the study.
enza virus as well as to help reduce the economic A. paniculata capsules purchased from Chao-
cost of seasonal influenza of the country. phaya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital contained 400 mg of
the aerial part of A. paniculata per capsule. The con-
tent of total lactones of the AP capsules calculated as
Methodology andrographolide, as analyzed by the Medicinal Plant
The clinical trial proposal was approved by the Research Institute, Department of Medical Sciences,
Ethics Committee on the Study in Human Subjects was 9 percent, which was higher than the standard
in the Fields of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medi- specification set at not less than 6 percent by the
