Kan Jang for COVID-19

Kan Jang®, the fixed combination of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Wall. ex. Nees and Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim extracts, is a herbal medicinal product for relieving symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Kan Jang®/Nergecov® on duration and the relief of inflammatory symptoms in adults with mild COVID-19. 86 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and mild symptoms for one to three days received supportive treatment (paracetamol) and six Kan Jang® (daily dose of andrographolides—90 mg) or placebo capsules a day for 14 consecutive days in this randomized, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled, two-parallel-group study. The primary efficacy outcomes were the decrease in the acute-phase duration and the severity of symptoms score (sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of smell, taste, pain in muscles), an increase in cognitive functions, physical performance, quality of life, and decrease in IL-6, c-reactive protein, and D-dimer in blood. Kan Jang®/Nergecov® was effective in reducing the risk of progression to severe COVID-19, decreasing the disease progression rate by almost 2.5-fold compared to placebo. Absolute risk reduction by Kan Jang treatment is 14%, the relative risk reduction is 243.9%, and the number Needed to Treat is 7.14. Kan Jang®/Nergecov® reduces the duration of disease, virus clearance, and days of hospitalization and accelerates recovery of patients, relief of sore throat, muscle pain, runny nose, and normalization of body temperature. Kan Jang®/Nergecov® significantly relieves the severity of inflammatory symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, and muscle pain, decreases pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 level in the blood, and increases patients’ physical performance (workout) compared to placebo. In this study, for the first time we demonstrate that Kan Jang®/Nergecov® is effective in treating mild COVID-19.

Background and aim. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of the treatment of Kan Jang®, a fixed combination of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Wall. ex. Nees and Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim in patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Methods. One hundred forty patients received six capsules of Kan Jang® (n = 68, daily dose of andrographolides – 90 mg) or placebo (n=72) and supportive treatment (paracetamol) for 14 consecutive days in a randomized, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled, two-parallel-group design. The efficacy outcomes were the rate of cases turning to severe, the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 virus over the time of treatment, the duration and the severity of symptoms (sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of smell, taste, pain in muscles) in the acute phase of the disease. Other efficacy measures included improving cognitive and physical performance, quality of life, and the levels of inflammatory blood markers - IL-6, c-reactive protein, and D-dimer. Results. Kan Jang® significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the rate of cases turning to severe (5.36%) compared to placebo (17.86%) and decreased the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 virus over the time of treatment. The statistical difference in the rates of patients with clinical deterioration in the Kan Jang treatment and placebo control groups was significant (p = 0.0176) both in 112 patients included per protocol (IPP) analysis and in 140 patients included per intention to treat (ITT) analysis (p = 0.0236); the absolute risk reduction of cases by Kan Jang treatment was 12.5%, and the number Needed to Treat by Kan Jang was 8. The patient's recovery time (Number of sick days at the home/clinic) was shorter in the Kan Jang group compared with the placebo group. The rate of resolution of inflammatory symptoms in the Kan Jang® group was significantly higher compared with the placebo group, and relief of the severity of cough, sore throat/pain, runny nose, and muscle soreness. Kan Jang® significantly decreased the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptoms scores compared to placebo in the sample size of 140 patients. However, the relief of fatigue and headache and the decrease of IL-6 in the blood was observed only in a subset of the 86 patients infected during the second three waves of the pandemic. Kan Jang® significantly increased physical activity and workout; however, it did not affect cognitive functions (attention and memory), Quality of life Score, inflammatory markers D-dimer, and c-reactive protein compared with the placebo group. Conclusions. Overall, the results of this study suggest that Kan Jang® is effective in treating mild and moderate COVID-19 irrespective of SARS-Cov-2 variants infection.

Background and aim. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the treatment of Kan Jang®, a fixed combination of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Wall. ex. Nees and Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim extracts in patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Methods. One hundred and forty patients received six capsules of Kan Jang® (n = 68, daily dose of andrographolides—90 mg) or placebo (n = 72) and supportive treatment (paracetamol) for 14 consecutive days in a randomized, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled, two-parallel-group design. The efficacy outcomes were the rate of cases turning to severe, the detection rate of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 over the time of treatment, the duration, and the severity of symptoms (sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of smell, taste, pain in muscles) in the acute phase of the disease. Other efficacy measures included improving cognitive and physical performance, quality of life, and the levels of inflammatory blood markers—interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein, and D-dimer. Results. Kan Jang® significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the rate of cases turning to severe (5.36%) compared to the placebo (17.86%) and decreased the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 virus over the time of the treatment. The statistical difference in the rates of patients with clinical deterioration in the Kan Jang treatment and placebo control groups was significant (p = 0.0176) both in the 112 patients in the included-per-protocol (IPP) analysis and in the 140 patients in the intended-to-treat (ITT) analysis (p = 0.0236); the absolute risk reduction in cases thanks to the Kan Jang treatment was 12.5%, and the number we needed to treat with Kan Jang was 8. The patient’s recovery time (number of sick days at the home/clinic) was shorter in the Kan Jang group compared with the placebo group. The rate of attenuation of inflammatory symptoms in the Kan Jang® group was significantly higher, decreasing the severity of cough, sore throat/pain, runny nose, and muscle soreness compared with the placebo group. Kan Jang® significantly decreased the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptoms scores compared to the placebo in the sample size of 140 patients. However, the relief of fatigue and headache and the decrease in IL-6 in the blood were observed only in a subset of 86 patients infected during the second three waves of the pandemic. Kan Jang® significantly increased physical activity and workout; however, it did not affect cognitive functions (attention and memory), quality of life score, inflammatory marker D-dimer, and C-reactive protein compared with the placebo group. Conclusions. Overall, the results of this study suggest that Kan Jang® is effective in treating mild and moderate COVID-19 irrespective of the SARS-CoV-2 variant of infection.