Clinical Study of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Phlegm-dampness Intrinsic Precocious Puberty (SHJG-PP)

June 4, 2026 updated by: Children's Hospital of Fudan University

A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Sanghe Jianghuo Granules in the Treatment of Girls Aged 5-8.5 Years With Precocious Puberty and Phlegm-Dampness Internal Accumulation Syndrome According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Precocious puberty is characterized by the premature appearance of secondary sexual characteristics. Globally, the timing of puberty onset in children has shown a certain tendency to advance. In China, the incidence of precocious puberty has been increasing year by year. Precocious puberty exerts long-term and systemic impacts on children's health: advanced bone age leads to short stature; earlier sexual development than peers may induce emotional problems such as anxiety and inferiority; it may increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, posing long-term hazards to cardiovascular health; it may also result in irregular menstruation or dysmenorrhea, exerting indirect effects on reproductive health.

Modern traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds that: various factors lead to liver-kidney yin deficiency, hyperactivity of ministerial fire, and early arrival of tian gui (the substance responsible for promoting growth, development and reproduction), thereby triggering premature sexual development. The main syndrome types identified in clinical practice include yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity syndrome, liver stagnation transforming into fire syndrome, and phlegm-dampness internal accumulation syndrome.

Since the late 1970s, the investigators' department has taken the lead in treating precocious puberty with TCM diagnostic methods, proposing that the pathogenesis of precocious puberty lies in "kidney yin deficiency and hyperactivity of ministerial fire", and adopting the therapy of nourishing yin and purging fire for its treatment. A number of studies have confirmed that TCM medicines with the effects of nourishing yin and purging fire can effectively alleviate the yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity syndrome in children, delay the development of secondary sexual characteristics and bone age.

At present, central precocious puberty is mostly treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa). However, this treatment has the drawback of inhibiting the growth axis, yielding limited benefits for children with advanced bone age, overweight or obesity, and may even affect glucose and lipid metabolism. Moreover, some children with precocious puberty complicated with obesity may be intolerant to this therapy. In contrast, TCM therapy and integrated TCM-Western medicine therapy can effectively delay the development of secondary sexual characteristics and advanced bone age, and improve final adult height, thus being widely applied in China.

Although a large number of relevant studies have been reported in recent years and TCM diagnosis and treatment guidelines for precocious puberty have been formulated, there is still a lack of high-quality evidence-based medical research to support the advantageous aspects of integrated TCM-Western medicine diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, the underlying mechanisms of diagnosis and treatment for different syndrome types of precocious puberty remain insufficiently studied.

In this study, the investigators will conduct a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effects of Sanghe Jianghuo Granules on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, metabolic homeostasis and inflammatory microenvironment, so as to verify its efficacy and safety. Furthermore, combined with transcriptomics, proteomics and network pharmacology, the investigators will identify the key targets and action pathways of Sanghe Jianghuo Granules, and verify its regulatory effect on the HPG axis through in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

200

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • China
    • Fujian
      • Xiamen, Fujian, China
        • Xiamen Children's Hospital
        • Contact:
    • Guangdong
      • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510405
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
        • Contact:
    • Henan
      • Zhengzhou, Henan, China, 450000
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine
        • Contact:
    • Shandong
      • Jinan, Shandong, China, 250011
        • Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of TCM
        • Contact:
    • Shanghai Municipality
      • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 210102
        • Children's Hospital of Fudan University
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
          • Wenqin Wang
          • Phone Number: +86 15001741617

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Female, aged between 5 and 9 years (inclusive).
  2. Presence of secondary sexual characteristics before 8 years of age, consistent with simple premature thelarche / initial central precocious puberty (CPP) / Tanner stage II.
  3. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation: Phlegm-dampness internal accumulation syndrome.
  4. Body mass index (BMI) greater than the 50th percentile for same age and sex.
  5. Initial case, no prior medication for precocious puberty (including but not limited to GnRHa, sex hormones, growth hormones, Zhibai Dihuang Wan, Dabuyin Wan, or traditional Chinese weight-loss medicines) within the last 3 months.
  6. Informed consent signed by the legal guardian(s), with ability to comply with the follow-up schedule.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Secondary precocious puberty due to central nervous system organic lesions, thyroid or adrenal disorders, ovarian tumors, or other underlying conditions.
  2. Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction, or hematological diseases.
  3. Use of sex hormones, growth hormones, Zhibai Dihuang Wan, Dabuyin Wan, or traditional Chinese weight-loss medicines within the last 3 months.
  4. Inability to cooperate with examinations or poor compliance with follow-up visits (e.g., inability to complete ultrasound, blood collection, or scheduled visits).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Sanghe Jianghuo Granules
Participants receive Sanghe Jianghuo Granules orally, twice daily (dosage based on body weight), for 3 consecutive months. All participants also receive standardized lifestyle guidance for precocious puberty.
Drug: Sanghe Jianghuo Granules
Composition: Mori Folium (Sang Ye), Nelumbinis Folium (He Ye), Rehmanniae Radix (Sheng Di), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhi Mu), Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu), and other ingredients. Formulation: Granules. Administration: Oral, twice daily. Dosage: Based on body weight. Duration: 3 consecutive months.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Participants receive placebo (10% active-component, matching appearance, taste, and packaging of Sanghe Jianghuo Granules) orally, twice daily, for 3 consecutive months. All participants also receive standardized lifestyle guidance for precocious puberty.
Combination product: Placebo
10% active-component placebo, matching the appearance, taste, and packaging of Sanghe Jianghuo Granules. Administration: Oral, twice daily. Duration: 3 consecutive months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Breast Nodule Regression Rate
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Percentage reduction in breast nodule diameter at Week 12 compared to baseline, calculated as (baseline diameter - Week 12 diameter) / baseline diameter × 100%. Breast nodule diameter is measured by physical examination (palpation and/or ultrasound).
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Uterine Volume
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Uterine volume measured by transabdominal ultrasound. Volume is calculated using the formula: V = (π/6) × length × anteroposterior diameter × transverse diameter, reported in cubic centimeters (cm³).
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Ovarian Volume
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Ovarian volume measured by transabdominal ultrasound. Volume is calculated using the formula: V = (π/6) × length × anteroposterior diameter × transverse diameter, reported in cubic centimeters (cm³).
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Follicle Diameter
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Maximum follicle diameter measured by transabdominal ultrasound, reported in millimeters (mm).
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Serum Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Serum LH level measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay, reported in U/L. Blood samples are collected in the morning after an overnight fast.
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Serum Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Serum FSH level measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay, reported in U/L. Blood samples are collected in the morning after an overnight fast.
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Syndrome Score
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0), Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12
TCM syndrome score assessed based on clinical evaluation of key symptoms including: preference for meat over vegetables, hyperactivity/restlessness, and greasy tongue coating. Higher scores indicate more severe syndrome manifestations.
Baseline (Day 0), Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12
BMI calculated as weight (kg) divided by height squared (m²). Weight is measured using an electronic scale (kg, accurate to 0.1 kg). Height is measured using a mechanical height measuring device (cm, accurate to 0.1 cm).
Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Children's Hospital of Fudan University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 4, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 4, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 4, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • fdek-tcm 2026-Q2

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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