NCT07504536

Ning Shen Dan Xiang Gao Fang for Heart-Kidney Disharmony Insomnia

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Dual-Control (Internal and External) Clinical Study of Ning Shen Dan Xiang Gao Fang in the Treatment of Insomnia (Heart-Kidney Disharmony Type)

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Shanghai 7th People's Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Ning Shen Dan Xiang paste combined with Ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) works better than Ning Shen Dan Xiang paste combined with agar (placebo substitute) to treat chronic insomnia of the heart-kidney disharmony type in adults. It will also assess safety. The main question is: \- Does Ning Shen Dan Xiang + Ejiao improve sleep quality more than the placebo version, as shown by the change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score after 8 weeks? Researchers will compare the two pastes (identical in appearance and taste except for Ejiao) and use published literature data as an additional external control. Participants will: Take 20 g of the assigned paste twice daily (morning and evening) for 8 weeks. Attend clinic visits at baseline, week 4, week 8, and 1 week after stopping (week 9 follow-up). Complete PSQI and ISI questionnaires, keep a daily electronic sleep diary, provide blood/stool samples, and undergo safety monitoring (blood/urine tests, ECG, vital signs, and side effect checks).

Detailed description

This is a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial with internal and external controls to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ningshen Danxiang Gelatin Formula (Ningshen Danxiang combined with donkey-hide gelatin) compared to Ningshen Danxiang Agar Formula (Ningshen Danxiang combined with agar placebo) in treating insomnia of the heart-kidney disharmony type according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The study aims to assess changes in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores from baseline after 8 weeks of treatment. Sixty adult participants (\>18 years) with chronic insomnia, PSQI \>7, and meeting TCM criteria for heart-kidney disharmony will be randomized 1:1 to receive either the experimental formula (20g twice daily) or control (20g twice daily) for 8 weeks. External controls will be synthesized from literature data on placebo and standard treatments for insomnia. Key secondary outcomes include Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), TCM syndrome scores, sleep logs via electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO)and rebound rates. Safety will be monitored through adverse events, laboratory tests, and vital signs.

Conditions

• Insomnia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Ningshen Danxiang Donkey-hide Gelatin Medicated Paste	Take 1 bag each time (each bag contains 20 g of crude herbal drug). Dissolve in warm boiled water and take orally, once in the morning and once in the evening. It is optimal to take on an empty stomach. Continue for 8 consecutive weeks. If gastrointestinal discomfort occurs when taken on an empty stomach, it may also be taken after meals.
DRUG	Ningshen Danxiang Agar Medicated Paste (agar as excipient)	Take 1 bag each time (each bag contains 20 g of crude herbal drug). Dissolve in warm boiled water and take orally, once in the morning and once in the evening. It is optimal to take on an empty stomach. Continue for 8 consecutive weeks. If gastrointestinal discomfort occurs when taken on an empty stomach, it may also be taken after meals.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-15
• Primary completion: 2027-03-31
• Completion: 2028-12-31
• First posted: 2026-04-01
• Last updated: 2026-04-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China