Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026
The Adjuvant Efficacy of Angong Niuhuang Pill in the Treatment of Viral Encephalitis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Published on: April 19, 2024
Chinese herbs in treatment of influenza: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Lei Wang1, Rui-Ming Zhang, Gui-Ying Liu
1Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
Objective:
To investigate the efficacy and safety of Antiwei, a traditional Chinese prescription, in the treatment of influenza.
Methods:
In a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited 480 adults aged 18 to 65 years within 36 h of onset of influenza-like symptoms. There were 225 patients with confirmed influenza. Eligible patients were randomly assigned 6 g of Antiwei (n = 360) or placebo (n = 120) twice daily for three days. All patients recorded their temperature and symptoms on diary cards during treatment. Analyses were performed in both the influenza-like population and the influenza-confirmed population.
Results:
Antiwei increased patients' recovery by 17% (P < 0.001), and reduced the severity of illness measured by the median symptom score by 50% (P < 0.001) in both the influenza-like and the influenza-confirmed populations, compared to placebo. The influenza-confirmed patients reported reductions in the severity of fever (P = 0.002), cough (P = 0.023) and expectoration (P = 0.004) after one-day of treatment with Antiwei, compared to placebo. The adverse event profiles were similar for Antiwei and placebo.
Conclusion:
Antiwei was effective and well tolerated in treatment of natural influenza infection in adults. Antiwei represents a clinically valuable intervention in the management of influenza.
