A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial of Xiehuang Jiejing granule in the treatment of cough variant asthma in children

Qiao YN, Lin SZ, Duan XZ, Yang MH, Zhang XF, Li JJ, Kang SN, Wang YT, Zhang Y, Feng XC · Medicine · 2022 November 18

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness and safety of Xiehuangjiejing granules used alone to treat children aged 4 to 7 years with cough variant asthma.

Conclusions

This study protocol describes a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled multicenter trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Xiehuangjiejing granules for pediatric cough variant asthma.

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Insights

Xiehuangjiejing granules are being rigorously tested as a standalone herbal treatment for cough variant asthma in young children.

This multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled children aged four to seven years with cough variant asthma. Participants received either Xiehuangjiejing granules or a matched placebo three times daily for one week, followed by one week of observation. Researchers assessed cough symptoms, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores, lung function, use of salbutamol inhalers, and safety outcomes. The study was designed to determine whether Xiehuangjiejing granules improve cough-related symptoms and related clinical measures while remaining safe for children. Its placebo-controlled and blinded design aims to provide stronger evidence than previous clinical use of Chinese herbal medicine for childhood cough variant asthma.