Clinical Trial Shows That Traditional Chinese Herbal Remedy Qinxiang Qingjie Matches Oseltamivir in Fighting Influenza in Children
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 07, 2025 5 hours, 25 minutes ago
Medical News: A Traditional Remedy Put to the Test
In a groundbreaking clinical trial involving 231 children across 14 major hospitals in China, a team of pediatric and respiratory medicine experts has confirmed that Qinxiang Qingjie (QXQJ), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal oral solution, is just as effective and safe as oseltamivir in treating pediatric influenza. This randomized, double-blind, multicenter study was carried out by researchers from institutions including Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Children’s Hospital of Capital Medical University, and Shanghai Children’s Medical Center.
Qinxiang Qingjie herbal remedy shows equal results to oseltamivir in treating flu in children.
QXQJ is a blend of various herbs like Radix scutellariae, Patchouli, Kudzu Root, and Licorice Root, long used in traditional medicine to relieve fever, sore throat, and detoxify the body. Although commonly prescribed for upper respiratory infections in children, until now, there had been limited high-quality clinical evidence to back its use for influenza. This
Medical News report explores the results of the first major clinical trial comparing QXQJ directly to oseltamivir.
Three Day Recovery and Fewer Side Effects
Children aged 1–13 diagnosed with influenza and exhibiting both exterior and interior heat syndromes under traditional Chinese medicine criteria were randomly assigned to receive either QXQJ or oseltamivir for five days. The primary goal was to measure clinical recovery time, while secondary goals included time to fever reduction, symptom improvement, and side effects.
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Unlike Oseltamivir which has been known to cause kidney & liver issues in some, the TCM herbal formula
Qinxiang Qingjie has no known adverse or detrimental health effects
Results showed that children in both groups recovered in a median of three days. Fever resolved in 36 hours on average, and no significant differences were found in the rate of complications, symptom improvements, or virus clearance.
Additionally, adverse events such as vomiting or mild abdominal discomfort occurred at nearly identical rates—12.39% in the QXQJ group versus 12.50% in the oseltamivir group. Only one serious adverse event was recorded (a pneumonia case in the QXQJ group), and both drugs were well tolerated.
Herbal Compounds with Antiviral Power
What sets QXQJ apart is its unique combination of multi-targeted herbal compounds. Components like patchouli alcohol and baicalin from Scutellaria baicalensis root have shown promising antiviral properties in lab studies, including inhibition of influenza virus replication and reduction of inflammatory cytokines. These natural ingredients may explain why QXQJ worked just as well as oseltamivir, without relying on synthetic antivirals that can lead to resistance or neurological side effects.
It should be noted that unlike oseltamivir which has been known to cause kidney and liver issues in some, the traditional Chinese herbal formula Qinxiang Qingjie has no known adverse or detrimental health effects.
A Step Forward for Evidence Based Chinese Medicine
This is the first study to validate QXQJ’s clinical use through rigorous scientific methodology and could mark an important milestone for integrating traditional Chinese medicine into global pediatric care. While some limitations remain—such as the lack of a placebo group and incomplete viral testing at follow-up—the results strongly support QXQJ as a safe and effective alternative and will be useful for children especially in the current H3N2 Flu wave surging in various parts of the world.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Translational Pediatrics.
https://tp.amegroups.org/article/view/96555/html
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