Chinese Medicine 999: A Popular Remedy for Colds and Flu

Chinese medicine 999(Chinese: 999感冒灵颗粒; Also known as: 999 cold medicine;999 ganmaoling) is a medicine developed to treat colds and flu, which combines Chinese medicine and modern medicine and is very popular in China.

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, this medication has also been used to alleviate symptoms caused by COVID-19 as it has a clear therapeutic effect on fever.

What is Chinese medicine 999?

The popular 999 Ganmaoling Keli is a classic example of a Western-Chinese medicine blend. Herbal medicines, including wild chrysanthemum 🌼 and evodia leaf 🍃, function to remove heat and toxins in the body. The medicine’s effectiveness is boosted by introducing an analgesic (acetaminophen) and a stimulant (caffeine). 

• 🌏 Popularity: Extremely high (in China)
• 💊 Main usage: Treating the common cold (and its associated symptoms)
• 💰 Price: Affordable (within the reach of most people)
• 🍵 How to take: Brew directly with hot water to make a tea-like drink, then consume
• Typical side effect: Drowsiness
• Flavour: bitter and sweet at the same time

Drug introduction

The main ingredients of this medicine are mostly herbs, including honeysuckle 🌼, fingered citron(Buddha’s hand), wild chrysanthemum, Melicope pteleifolia 💐, acanthaceae root 🌿, cape jasmine, acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine maleate, and caffeine ☕. The excipient is sucrose 🍬.

Most of these are ingredients that have been proven safe.

⚠️ This medicine is sweetened with sugar to mask the unpleasant bitterness, but we couldn’t find out exactly how much sugar was added.

• Appearance: Light brown to dark brown granules with sweet and slightly bitter taste.
• Function: Used for headache, fever, nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throat caused by cold [2].
• Dosage: 1 sachet once, 3 times a day [2].
• Side effects: Rash, urticaria, drug fever and granulocytopenia are occasionally seen; drowsiness, drowsiness, thirst and weakness are seen; long-term heavy use of the drug can lead to abnormal liver and kidney function [2].
• Unsuitable people: people with severe liver and kidney insufficiency [2].

Considering that this medication contains acetaminophen, you should be cautious about taking it, especially if you are already late for a fever reducer like ibuprofen.

Precautions

1. You should reduce the intake of foods such as chili, pepper and garlic when taking this medicine.
2. Reduce taking it together with other medicines as much as possible.
3. If you have stomach pains, intestinal problems, you should not take this medicine.
4. If you have diabetes, heart disease, you need to consult your doctor first before you can use this drug.

How to take

To reduce irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, it is advisable to take the medicine after a meal.

If you are used to taking the medicine before meals it is also possible, please try to avoid taking the medicine on an empty stomach.

It is recommended to use 200 ml of boiling water at 75 °C (167 °F).

Does 999 medicine work?

Yes, it is effective for colds and flu because it has ingredients in it that are targeted at treating cold and flu symptoms. In China, it is widely used to treat colds.

• In a 2022 real-world study by Lei et al., involving 8007 patients and using propensity score matching, 999 medicine granules demonstrated superior efficacy in relieving common cold symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, and cough compared to other cold medications, with a low incidence of mild adverse events[8].
• In another 2018 study published in the Journal of Anhui Medical University, Sun et al. investigated the in vitro antiviral effects of Ganmaoling granules on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The study found that Ganmaoling granules exhibited an inhibitory effect on RSV by directly inactivating and inhibiting viral proliferation[9].
• A study by Zhu et al. investigating the protective effects of Xiaoer Ganmao granules (999 Children’s Cold Granules) on H1N1 influenza-induced acute lung injury in mice, high-dose treatment significantly improved survival rates, reduced lung damage, modulated inflammatory cytokines, and showed trends of inhibiting viral activity and oxidative stress[10].

Summary: 999 medicine is effective for colds and flu. Studies in 2022, 2018, etc. show it can relieve symptoms, inhibit viruses, and protect against lung injury in relevant cases.

Drug conflict

(1) Patients on barbiturates or anticonvulsants are at increased risk of hepatotoxicity with prolonged use of this product.

(2) Combination of this product with chloramphenicol may prolong the half-life of the latter and enhance its toxicity.

(3) Combination with anticoagulants may enhance the anticoagulant effect, so the dosage of anticoagulants should be adjusted.

(4) When used in combination with aspirin and other NSAIDs in large quantities for a long period of time, there is a significant risk of increased nephrotoxicity.

(5) Combination with Zidovudine may increase its toxicity and should be avoided.

(6) This drug should not be used in combination with pethidine and atropine.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What type of medication is this?

A: It is Chinese Proprietary Medicines (CPMs).

999 Ganmaoling is a compound preparation that combines traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Its main ingredients include Chinese herbs (such as Isatis root, Sophora flavescens, Pogostemon cablin, etc.) and Western medicine components (such as acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine maleate, etc.).

Q: What are the main effects of this medicine?

A: 999 Ganmaoling is mainly used to relieve symptoms such as fever, headache, nasal congestion, runny nose, and cough caused by common cold and influenza. It also has a good effect on alleviating and improving these symptoms[5].

Q: How to use this medication?

A: It is taken orally, 10 grams (1 sachet) each time, three times a day, or as directed by a doctor.

Q: Who should avoid using it?

A: People who are allergic to any component of this product should not use it. Special populations such as pregnant women, lactating women, and children should use it under the guidance of a doctor or avoid using it. In addition, patients with severe liver or kidney dysfunction or heart disease should also use it under the guidance of a doctor[6].

Q: Can 999 Ganmaoling cause adverse reactions?

A: Although most people can use 999 Ganmaoling safely, there may be some adverse reactions, such as rash, itching, urticaria, and drowsiness, thirst, weakness, etc. In severe cases, there may be rashes, petechiae, allergic shock, etc[7].

Q: Can I drink alcohol while taking it?

A: Alcohol should be avoided during the use of any medication because alcohol may affect the efficacy of the medication and even cause adverse reactions. Therefore, drinking alcohol during the use of 999 Ganmaoling is absolutely forbidden.

Q: Can 999 medicine be used together with other cold medicines?

A: Generally, it is not recommended to use two or more cold medicines at the same time because this may lead to drug interactions and cause adverse reactions. If you need to use other cold medicines at the same time, please consult a doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Q: Are 999 tablets available?

A: Currently in China and around the world, this drug is not provided in the form of “pills”, but only in the form of “granules”.

Trusted Source:

1. https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2013/12/02/talking-tcm-999-ganmaoling-keli-cold-remedy
2. https://baike.baidu.com/item/999%E6%84%9F%E5%86%92%E7%81%B5%E9%A2%97%E7%B2%92/8304874(China’s most authoritative encyclopedia website)
3. https://www.360kad.com/medication/232409.shtml
4. https://www.999.com.cn/product/service/101008003002001.html#101008003002001(The official website of the drug)
5. 毛一卿, 牟志新, 张跃飞, 等. 中西药复合配方 999 感冒灵的药理学实验研究[D]. , 2004. http://www.cjim.cn/zxyjhcn/zxyjhcn/ch/mobile/create_pdf.aspx?file_no=20040819&flag=1&journal_id=zxyjhcn&year_id=2004
6. https://m.baidu.com/bh/m/detail/ar_8511964192898785818
7. https://m.baidu.com/bh/m/detail/ar_12775268941924809837
8. 雷翔,袁利超,王勇,徐志伟,许东风,武蕾,黄燕,梁丹,翟付明,张洪春.感冒灵颗粒治疗普通感冒有效性和安全性的前瞻性真实世界研究[J].湖南中医药大学学报,2022,42(10):1767-1771 http://hnzyydxxb.hnucm.edu.cn/hnzyydxxb/ch/reader/view_abstract.aspx?file_no=20221029&flag=1
9. 宋红敏.关于999感冒灵颗粒抗呼吸道合胞病毒的研究[J].中国社区医师,2021,37(33):16-17 https://www.aydxb.cn/show_journal.php?info_id=2667
10. http://cnjournals.com/view_abstract.aspx?aid=31526FBB41251B90372F42D955278E8A&jid=304EC635DBF56A9E694708C4D3F82CC5&pcid=A9DB1C13C87CE289EA38239A9433C9DC&yid=0D1D160AB8016934