Shuanghuanglian

Shuanghuanglian (Chinese: 双黄连) is a Chinese patent medicine with a long history for treating respiratory tract infection in China. Some of its active ingredients are Wogonin, Baicalin and baicalein. It is derived from three Chinese herbal medicines, namely, Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.), Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi), and weeping forsythia (Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl). It has been used for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections since 1973. Several forms are described in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.[1]

Recent History

In July 2020, Su et al reported on an in vitro experiment of its effect on COVID-19.[1] Following the release of the report, which was in part supported by the Jack Ma Foundation,[1] there was an uptick in Shuanghuanglian sales.[2]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Xinhua News Agency claimed that the herbal product “shuanghuanglian” can prevent or treat infections from coronaviruses, stimulating sales across the United States, Russia, and China. However, the clinical studies on its effectiveness have been inconclusive.[3][4] Su et al. published a report that the herbal substance has been shown in vitro to be cytotoxic "against a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2".[1] However, another government media outlet, People’s Daily, published a contrasting report urging citizens not to purchase the herbal remedy as it had not been recommended for coronavirus antiviral treatment and treatment measures had not passed clinical trials.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Su, Hai-xia; Yao, Sheng; Zhao, Wen-Feng; Li, Min-jun; Liu, Jia; Shang, Wei-Juan; Xie, Hang; Ke, Chang-Qiang; Hu, Hang-Chen; Gao, Mei-na; Yu, Kun-Qian; Liu, Hong; Shen, Jing-Shan; Tang, Wei; Zhang, Lei-ke; Xiao, Geng-fu; Ni, Li; Wang, Dao-wen; Zuo, Jian-Ping; Jiang, Hua-Liang; Bai, Fang; Wu, Yan; Ye, Yang; Xu, Ye-Chun (2020). "Anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities in vitro of Shuanghuanglian preparations and bioactive ingredients". Acta Pharmacologica Sinica. 41 (9): 1167–1177. doi:10.1038/s41401-020-0483-6. PMC 7393338. PMID 32737471. Cite error: The named reference "su20" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Wee, Sui-Lee (5 February 2020). "In Coronavirus, China Weighs Benefits of Buffalo Horn and Other Remedies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. ^ Palmer, James. "Chinese Media Is Selling Snake Oil to Fight the Wuhan Virus". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  4. ^ Phillips, James; Selzer, Jordan; Noll, Samantha; Alptunaer, Timur (31 March 2020). "Opinion : Covid-19 Has Closed Stores, but Snake Oil Is Still for Sale". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020.
  5. ^ Gan, Nectar (1 Feb 2020). "A traditional Chinese remedy said to help fight Wuhan coronavirus sparks skepticism -- and panic buying". CNN. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
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