{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nChinese patent medicine (CPM) is widely used in China's rapidly expanding Internet hospital system, yet its prescribing profiles in this setting remain uncharacterized.Methods\n\nPrescription data were collected from 87 enterprise-led Internet hospitals between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2021. Visits involving at least one prescribed CPM were included. Descriptive analyses characterized the top 20 most frequently prescribed CPMs overall, with stratification by gender and age groups. The top three CPMs for diseases with over 20,000 visits were identified, and the results were visualized using a sunburst chart.Results\n\nAmong 2,065,486 eligible visits, the respiratory diseases category was the most prevalent (26.29%), with acute upper respiratory tract infection (n = 319,772) as the top diagnosis, commonly treated with CPMs like Niuhuang Jiedu Tablet. Genitourinary diseases (23.43%) were also prominent, with Honghe Fujie Cleansing Lotion being the most prescribed CPM overall (3.77%), accounting for 15.2% of prescriptions for adult females. For chronic disease management, digestive (19.12%) and circulatory system (13.14%) diseases were common. Elderly patients (≥ 60 years) frequently received CPMs for cardiovascular conditions (18.9%, e.g., Wenxin Granule, Suxiao Jiuxin Pill). Age stratification showed pediatric patients (< 18 years) were primarily prescribed CPMs for respiratory infections (48.0%), while patients in the 18-44 years age group commonly used CPMs for gynecological and dermatological conditions.Conclusions\n\nAmong visits that included at least one CPM prescription, CPM was extensively prescribed via Internet hospitals in China for acute respiratory infections, urogenital, and chronic conditions, with notable coverage also observed among pediatric and elderly populations. Our findings suggest that this model may enable contactless care, provide discreet consultation channels for urogenital conditions, and facilitate medication access for patients with stable chronic diseases.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100010, China.",
    "Beijing Evidence-based Chinese Medicine Center, Beijing, 100010, China.",
    "National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.",
    "Research Center of Clinical Epidemiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.",
    "Beijing PD Cloud medical Technology Co., LTD, Beijing, 100085, China.",
    "Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100088, China.",
    "Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University School of Public Health, No.38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China. shengfeng1984@126.com.",
    "Center for Evidence-based Chinese Medicine, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16 Dongzhimennei Nanxiaojie, Beijing, 100700, China. okfrom2008@hotmail.com."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jing Hu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jia-Xin Zuo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Tian-Tian Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ruo-Gu Meng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Lin Zhuo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Guo-Zhen Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Di Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Sheng-Feng Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Xing Liao"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/60wx0h5p1rvb8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12906-026-05488-y",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13726114",
  "id": "60wx0h5p1rvb8",
  "issns": [
    "2662-7671"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968101",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2707|Medical Research and Treatments"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7172526144",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13726114?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13726114",
  "pmid": "42968101",
  "published": "2026-08-05",
  "publisher": "BMC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/60wx0h5p1rvb8.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T15:20:54Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42968101",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968101"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T12:22:31Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13726114",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05488-y"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2707|Medical Research and Treatments",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The prescription profiles of Chinese patent medicine in Internet hospitals in China: a retrospective cross-sectional study.",
  "title_text": "The prescription profiles of Chinese patent medicine in Internet hospitals in China: a retrospective cross-sectional study.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T12:22:09Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/60wx0h5p1rvb8",
  "venue": "BMC complementary medicine and therapies",
  "versions": []
}