A placebo-controlled trial of Korean red ginseng extract for preventing influenza-like illness in healthy adults.
BACKGROUND
Standardized Korean red ginseng extract has become the best-selling influenza-like illness (ILI) remedy in Korea, yet much controversy regarding the efficacy of the Korean red ginseng (KRG) in reducing ILI incidence remains. The aim of the study is to assess the efficacy of the KRG extract on the ILI incidence in healthy adults.


METHODS
We will conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study at the onset of the influenza seasons. A total of 100 subjects 30-70 years of age will be recruited from the general populations. The subjects will be instructed to take 9 capsules per day of either the KRG extract or a placebo for a period of 3 months. The primary outcome measure is to assess the frequency of ILI onset in participated subjects. Secondary variable measures will be included severity and duration of ILI symptoms. The ILI symptoms will be scored by subjects using a 4-point scale.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is a randomized placebo controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the KRG extract compared to placebo and will be provided valuable new information about the clinical and physiological effects of the KRG extract on reduction of ILI incidence including flu and upper respiratory tract infections. The study has been pragmatically designed to ensure that the study findings can be implemented into clinical practice if KRG extract can be shown to be an effective reduction strategy in ILI incidence.


BACKGROUND
NCT01478009.
Clinical Trial Center for Functional Foods of Chonbuk National University Hospital, Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 561-712, Republic of Korea. lcsmd@jbnu.ac.kr
Ki-Chan
KC
Ha
Min-Gul
MG
Kim
Mi-Ra
MR
Oh
Eun-Kyung
EK
Choi
Hyang-Im
HI
Back
Sun-Young
SY
Kim
Eun-Ok
EO
Park
Dae-Young
DY
Kwon
Hye-Jeong
HJ
Yang
Min-Jeong
MJ
Kim
Hee-Joo
HJ
Kang
Ju-Hyung
JH
Lee
Kyung-Min
KM
Choi
Soo-Wan
SW
Chae
Chang-Seop
CS
Lee
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002214:Capsules; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002214:Capsules; D010936:Plant Extracts