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YH1 in Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes

The Efficacy and Safety of Concentrated Herbal Extract Granules, YH1, as an Add-On Medication in Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02752880
Enrollment
46
Registered
2016-04-27
Start date
2016-06-30
Completion date
2018-02-28
Last updated
2019-07-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Type 2 Diabetes

Brief summary

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease that seriously affects patients worldwide, and it is always among the top 10 causes of death in Taiwan. To date, still many patients who take more than three kinds of oral hypoglycemic agents could not effectively control their glycohemoglobin levels in clinics. Hypoglycemia as well as weight gain are common side effect with insulin therapy, and many patients in Taiwan are not willing to receive insulin injection. It is common for diabetic patients treated with Chinese herbal medicine in China currently, and some therapeutic effects have been published in international journals. In this study, we will evaluate whether Chinese herbal medicine, YH1, enhances the glycemic control and is safe as add-on medication in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients. A total of 46 poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients with glycohemoglobin ≥ 7% from Endocrinology and Metabolism clinics or Internal Chinese Medicine clinics will be enrolled in this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive either YH1 (6 g) or the placebo three times per day for 12 consecutive weeks. All subjects in both groups will also continuously receive their oral hypoglycemic agents without any dose or medicine change. During this 12-week period, the glycohemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, 2h postprandial glucose, waist circumference, body weight, and body mass index will be assessed. In addition, insulin resistance, β -cell function, lipid profile, liver and renal function will also be evaluated. Independent statisticians will perform the data analysis at the end of the trial.

Detailed description

The YH1 in one batch number was used, manufactured by Sun Ten Pharmaceutical Co., LTD., a renowned GMP manufacturer of concentrated herbal extract granules conforming to international standards. The YH1 was prepared in small granules, including concentrated herbal extract granules of Rhizoma Coptidis (50%) and SLBZS (50%). Both medicines have already been approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan as ethical drugs. YH1 granules were packed in aluminum foil packages. The placebo was also prepared as granules by Sun Ten Pharmaceutical Co., LTD., and the packaging of the placebo was identical to that of YH1. The chemical composition of YH1 was analyzed and profiled by using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array (PDA) detection. Fourteen components, allantoin, atractylenolide III, berberine, coptisine, ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rg1, glycyrrhizin, liquiritin, pachymic acid, palmatine, platycodin D, magnoflorin and quercitrin, were simultaneously used in the qualitative analysis under the developed HPLC-PDA method. As for the quantitative detection, each gram of YH1 contained 20.05 mg berberine.

Interventions

DRUGYH1 group

Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either YH1 or placebo for 12 consecutive weeks.

DRUGplacebo group

Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either YH1 or placebo for 12 consecutive weeks.

Sponsors

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. 20-75 years of age; 2. Diagnosed as type 2 diabetics based on World Health Organization criteria \[1\]; 3. Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 23 kg/m2; 4. Have been treated with ≥ 3 kinds of oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) with persistent (\> 6 months) high HbA1c (≥ 7.0 %).

Exclusion criteria

1. Type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, or other specific types of diabetes; 2. Have received insulin therapy in the past three months; 3. Have serious gastrointestinal (GI) tract diseases, such as peptic ulcers or GI tract bleeding; 4. Experience stressful situations, including diabetic ketoacidosis, nonketotic hyperosmolar diabetic coma, severe infection, or surgery in the previous one month; 5. Suffer from hepatic insufficiency with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 2 times the upper limit of normal or renal insufficiency with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \< 60; 6. Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure ≥ 160/100 mmHg); 7. Mental illness, abused or addicted to alcohol, psychoactive substances or other drugs; 8. Pregnant, lactating, or plan to become pregnant; 9. Hemoglobin disease or chronic anemia; 10. Have underlying conditions that could lead to poor compliance; 11. History of cerebrovascular disease or myocardial infarction; 12. Have undergone Chinese medicine treatment in the past two weeks.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The Percentage Change in HbA1c Level From Baseline to 12 Weeks12 weeksThe primary efficacy endpoint was the percentage change in HbA1c levels from baseline to 12 weeks. The HbA1c level was measured by HPLC in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The Percentage Change in 2hPG From Baseline to Week 1212 weeksThe secondary efficacy endpoint was the percentage change in 2hPG level from baseline to 12 weeks by using enzymatic method in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Countries

Taiwan

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
YH1 Group
YH1 three times per day for 12 consecutive weeks.
21
Placebo Group
placebo three times per day for 12 consecutive weeks.
20
Total41

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicYH1 GroupPlacebo GroupTotal
Age, Continuous50 years56 years52 years
HbA1c8.1 %8.7 %8.6 %
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
21 Participants20 Participants41 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
13 Participants8 Participants21 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
8 Participants12 Participants20 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 230 / 23
other
Total, other adverse events
12 / 2313 / 23
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 230 / 23

Outcome results

Primary

The Percentage Change in HbA1c Level From Baseline to 12 Weeks

The primary efficacy endpoint was the percentage change in HbA1c levels from baseline to 12 weeks. The HbA1c level was measured by HPLC in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Time frame: 12 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
YH1 GroupThe Percentage Change in HbA1c Level From Baseline to 12 Weeks-11.1 percentage change
Placebo GroupThe Percentage Change in HbA1c Level From Baseline to 12 Weeks0.0 percentage change
Secondary

The Percentage Change in 2hPG From Baseline to Week 12

The secondary efficacy endpoint was the percentage change in 2hPG level from baseline to 12 weeks by using enzymatic method in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Time frame: 12 weeks

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
YH1 GroupThe Percentage Change in 2hPG From Baseline to Week 12-26.2 percentage change
Placebo GroupThe Percentage Change in 2hPG From Baseline to Week 125.1 percentage change

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026