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8
Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Results
Patients with a body temperature of 38˚C or Of the 15 health service centers and one hospi-
higher, having at least one respiratory symptoms and tal in Nonthaburi Province that took part in the study
at least one of the constitutional symptoms described during the period October 2004-March 2006, only 7
above for no longer than 36 hours, were laboratory health service centers had laboratory-confirmed cases
confirmed for influenza by testing their nasal secre- of influenza and could recruit patients into the study.
tions with the Quick Vue Influenza test (Quidel Co- At the end of the study, there were 25 patients par-
operation, USA) which could screen for both Influ- ticipating in the study, 10 in the paracetamol group
enza A and B. Patients with laboratory-confirmed and 15 patients in the paracetamol + AP group. Tables
influenza were then informed about the study project 1 and 2 showed that prior to the treatment (Day 0),
and those who were willing to participate in the study the body temperature, and the severity of the overall
were then asked to give their consent and they were symptoms, the respiratory and constitutional symp-
randomly assigned to the paracetamol group or the toms of the patients in both groups were not signifi-
paracetamol + A. paniculata (AP) group. cantly different.
Patients in the paracetamol group were pre- For patients in the paracetamol group, it was
scribed a 7-day supply of 500 mg paracetamol tablets found that body temperature, the severity of the overall
(Government Pharmaceutical Organization) to be taken symptoms, and malaise had become significantly lower
at the dose of 2 tablets (1 g) every 6 hours if they still than the pre-treatment values from Day 2 of the treat-
had fever, headache and/or myalgia. Patients in the ment, while headache, myalgia, fatigue and chill were
paracetamol + AP group received a 7-day supply of significantly improved on Day 4 and sore throat on
the same dose of paracetamol plus 400 mg. A. Day 6 (Table 1). Even though the severity of nasal
paniculata capsules to be taken at the dose of 4 cap- congestion/runny nose and cough appeared to be
sules (1.6 g) 4 times daily, after meals and at bedtime better on Day 6, the symptom scores were not statis-
if they still had the symptoms. Patients were asked tically significant different from those of Day 0 (Table
to come back every other day for three follow-up 1).
visits to the same health service centers where they For patients taking paracetamol and A. pani-
received the treatment. culata, the body temperature, the overall symptoms,
The efficacy of the two treatments was evalu- and almost all of the other symptoms, i.e., nasal con-
ated by taking the patientsû body temperature and gestion/runny nose, sore throat, headache, malaise,
asking them to rate their symptoms prior to the treat- myalgia, fatigue, and chill, were significantly improved
ment (Day 0) and at the three follow-up visits (Days 2, from Day 2 of the treatment, while coughing was
4, 6) using the VAS of 0 (no symptom) to 10 (most significantly better on Day 6 (Table 2).
severe symptoms). The symptoms evaluated were When the symptom scores on Days 2, 4, and 6 of
overall symptoms; respiratory symptoms, i.e. nasal the two groups were compared, it was found that the
congestion and runny nose, sore throat, and cough; overall symptoms, and the severity of cough and fa-
and constitutional symptoms, i.e., headache, malaise, tigue of the paracetamol + AP group were signifi-
myalgia, fatigue, and sweating/chill. Any possible side cantly lower than those of the paracetamol group from
effects and patientûs level of satisfaction with the study Day 4 of the treatment (Table 3). Meanwhile, body
medications were also assessed. The data were ana- temperatures and the scores for the other symptoms
lyzed by unpaired t-test, repeated one-way ANOVA, of influenza on Days 2, 4 and 6 (i.e., nasal congestion/
or Chi-square test, where appropriate, using the SPSS runny nose, sore throat, malaise, myalgia, and chill)
program for Windows. The p value of < 0.05 was were not significantly different between the two
considered to be statistically significant. groups.