Can a traditional chinese medicine beat long COVID fatigue?
NCT ID NCT06980636
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether Shengmai liquid, a traditional Chinese herbal drink, can reduce fatigue in people with Long COVID. One hundred adults aged 18-75 will take either the liquid or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. Researchers will measure changes in fatigue, mood, and sleep quality using questionnaires.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Shengmai liquid (a traditional Chinese medicine containing Codonopsis pilosula, Ophiopogon japonicus, and Schisandra chinensis)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a natural option to ease persistent fatigue in people with Long COVID.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 100 participants. The placebo effect is strong for fatigue, so results may not be conclusive. Also, as a traditional remedy, its effects are not well-studied in this context.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged between 18 and 75 years; * Meet the above diagnostic criteria; * Meet the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome diagnostic criteria; * Consent and sign the informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: * Currently in need of or expected to require high-flow oxygen therapy, positive pressure ventilation, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and other advanced respiratory support measures; * Have a known history of active liver disease (excluding non-alcoholic fatty liver changes), including active hepatitis B or C infection, primary biliary cirrhosis, Child-Pugh class B or C liver function impairment, or acute liver failure. Liver function at screening shows any of the following: serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \>3× the upper limit of normal (ULN); serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \>3×ULN; serum bilirubin \>2×ULN; * Undergoing dialysis treatment, or known to have moderate to severe renal impairment (i.e., an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) value calculated based on serum creatinine using the CKD-EPI formula ≤45 mL/min/1.73 m² within 6 months before screening); * Moderate to severe congestive heart failure within 6 months before screening (according to the New York Heart Association classification criteria, with cardiac function class III or IV), experienced a stroke, myocardial infarction, or coronary artery stent implantation; or have uncontrolled hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure exceeding 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure exceeding 100 mmHg, with relevant records). Significant or clinically relevant electrocardiogram abnormalities, such as second-degree type II atrioventricular block, left bundle branch block, etc.; * Suffered from influenza A, influenza B, or other infectious diseases within 3 months before screening; * Have/ever had severe neurological diseases (epilepsy, convulsions, or seizures) or mental illness, or have a family history of mental illness; * Pregnant or breastfeeding. Women who are breastfeeding or have a positive pregnancy test before taking the medication; * History of malignant tumors within 5 years before screening, with existing and progressing tumors, and patients who are expected to need treatment during the study period; * Have chronic fatigue syndrome or autoimmune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.); * Known allergy to any component of the study drug; * Diseases judged by the investigator to be unsuitable for participation in this study; * Taken traditional Chinese medicine containing Codonopsis pilosula, Ophiopogon japonicus, Schisandra chinensis, or Astragalus membranaceus within 2 weeks before screening; * Participating in other drug or medical device-related studies at the same time
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Beijing Di Tan Hospital, , Capital Medical University
RECRUITINGBeijing, China, 102488, China
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.