Sanjie Zhentong Capsule
Well-known herbal alternative approach for endometriosis-associated menstrual pain and dysmenorrhea
- Brand
- Kangyuan
- China Approval No.
- Z20030127
- Dosage Form
- Capsule
- Individual package
- 0.4 g × 30 capsules
Price range: $150.00 through $399.00
- Verified by AuthHerbQuality you can trust
- Brand confirmedKangyuan
- Verified AuthenticityProduct authenticity checked
- Evidence & ResearchTraditional use + modern studies
- Authentic packaging matchedAs shown in photos
- Expert supportProduct guidance available
Overview
Medically reviewed by Dr. Xiaoyu Last reviewed: September 13, 2026
Sanjie Zhentong Capsule is a Chinese patent medicine widely used in China for gynecological symptoms associated with endometriosis, including secondary dysmenorrhea. Its traditional function is to soften and disperse masses, resolve blood stasis, and relieve pain.
| Chinese name | 散结镇痛胶囊 |
|---|---|
| Pinyin | Sanjie Zhentong Jiaonang |
| Brand | Kangyuan |
| China Drug Approval No. | Z20030127 |
| Drug Standard | WS3-232（Z-38）-2009（Z） |
| Dosage form | capsule |
| Traditional function | Softens and disperses masses, resolves blood stasis, and relieves pain. |
| Strength | 0.4 g per capsule |
| Individual package | 0.4 g × 30 capsules |
| Recommended use | Secondary dysmenorrhea, menstrual irregularity, pelvic masses, infertility, and endometriosis when they present with the labeled TCM pattern of phlegm and blood stasis with qi stagnation. |
| GTIN | 6934918700520 |
Main ingredients: Dragon’s Blood, Notoginseng, Fritillaria thunbergii bulb, Coix seed
Evidence at a Glance
A 323-participant multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled trial reported better dysmenorrhea response and improvement in some pelvic-pain outcomes with Sanjie Zhentong Capsule. A smaller postoperative randomized trial found no significant recurrence or pain difference versus hormonal strategies. A 2025 network meta-analysis adds broader context, but trial heterogeneity and indirect comparisons limit certainty.
Do not use during pregnancy.
Uses
Common Uses
Sanjie Zhentong Capsule is commonly used in China for women’s health concerns such as:
- Painful periods
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Pelvic or lower-abdominal discomfort
- Fertility-related concerns
- Symptoms associated with endometriosis
Traditional & Labeled Uses
软坚散结，化瘀定痛
Softens and disperses masses, resolves blood stasis, and relieves pain
- Secondary dysmenorrhea within the labeled TCM pattern
- Menstrual irregularity within the labeled TCM pattern
- Pelvic masses within the labeled TCM pattern
- Infertility associated with the labeled TCM pattern
- Endometriosis presenting with the labeled TCM pattern
A labeled traditional use describes the medicine’s approved context. It does not establish that every listed presentation has been proven in large modern randomized trials or that the medicine replaces diagnostic evaluation and standard care.
Understanding the TCM Perspective
Phlegm, blood stasis, qi stagnation, and masses are Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern terms. They are not direct biomedical diagnoses and should not be used to self-diagnose endometriosis or another cause of pelvic pain.
Related TCM Patterns
Sanjie Zhentong Capsule is classified as a prescription medicine in China. The information on this page is intended for product education and should not replace diagnosis or treatment advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
Safety
Pregnancy
Do not use Sanjie Zhentong Capsule during pregnancy. Pregnancy is listed as a contraindication in Chinese product information.
Allergy
Do not use if you are allergic to Sanjie Zhentong Capsule or any listed ingredient. Stop use and seek urgent help for swelling, wheezing, trouble breathing, or another severe allergic reaction.
Breastfeeding
Product-specific safety and effectiveness data for breastfeeding were not identified in the reviewed information. Consult a physician or pharmacist before use while breastfeeding.
Younger Users
Product-specific safety and effectiveness data for adolescent girls were not identified in the reviewed information. Seek professional medical advice before use in younger users.
Drug Interactions
Detailed product-specific interaction data are limited. If you take prescription medicines, hormonal treatment, anticoagulants, or other herbal products, discuss the combination with a physician or pharmacist before use.
When to Seek Medical Advice
Stop use and seek medical advice for a significant allergic reaction, persistent gastrointestinal symptoms, unusual bleeding, palpitations, or another concerning symptom. Persistent pelvic pain or suspected endometriosis requires appropriate medical evaluation.
Contraindications
- Do not use during pregnancy.
- Do not use if you are allergic to Sanjie Zhentong Capsule or any listed ingredient.
Reported Adverse Reactions
- Skin itching
- Feeling of warmth
- Thirst
- Constipation
- Stomach discomfort
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Skin rash
- Palpitations
- Increased sweating
- Increased skin oiliness
- Occasional laboratory or electrocardiogram abnormalities have been reported; a direct causal relationship was not established for every reported abnormality.
Evidence
Human Clinical Evidence
Placebo-controlled trial for endometriosis-associated pain
Sanjie Analgesic Capsule reported higher dysmenorrhea response rates than placebo at three months (80.1% versus 30.5%) and six months (62.7% versus 31.7%); total adverse-event rates did not differ significantly.
Postoperative randomized trial for long-term endometriosis management
After surgery and initial GnRH-a treatment, recurrence and pain outcomes did not differ significantly between Sanjie Zhentong Capsule and the hormonal comparison groups.
Bayesian network meta-analysis of Chinese patent medicines for endometriosis
The review reported favorable network estimates for Sanjie Zhentong Capsule on total response and adverse events, while other patent medicines ranked higher for some pain outcomes.
Verification
PRODUCT IDENTITY
- Brand Name
- Kangyuan
- Chinese Name
- 康缘
- Manufacturer
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
- China drug approval number
- Z20030127
- Prescription status in China
- Prescription medicine.
These are Chinese product-registration details. They do not establish approval or availability in another country.
Verified by the AuthHerb Verification Team
- Brand relationship confirmed
- Manufacturer legal name confirmed
- Approval number confirmed
- Current packaging matched
- Registration holder / manufacturer checked
- Authenticity method checked
- Label/source evidence recorded
Ingredients
This product contains the following ingredients:
Official Label Dosage
Take 4 capsules orally 3 times daily.
Follow the current package insert if its instructions differ.
Individual package: 0.4 g × 30 capsules
Missed Dose Information
No product-specific missed-dose instruction was identified.
Additional Directions
Begin on the first day of menstruation and continue for three consecutive menstrual cycles as one course, unless otherwise directed by a physician.
Each capsule contains 0.4 g. This is a prescription medicine in China; follow the current physical package and healthcare professional advice.
A purchase option’s quantity does not define how long you should take the medicine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sanjie Zhentong Capsule
It is traditionally used for secondary dysmenorrhea, menstrual irregularity, pelvic masses, infertility, and endometriosis when these occur with the labeled TCM pattern of phlegm and blood stasis with qi stagnation.
Yes. A 323-participant multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled trial reported better dysmenorrhea response and improvement in some pelvic-pain outcomes with the same Chinese-named finished medicine.
No. The evidence supports potential benefit in selected settings but does not establish a cure, universal benefit, or a replacement for individualized medical care.
No. It is a four-ingredient Chinese patent medicine, not an oral contraceptive or GnRH analog. Research measuring hormone-related outcomes does not make it a hormone-balancing medicine.
Take 4 capsules orally 3 times daily. The reviewed instructions state that treatment begins on the first day of menstruation and continues for three menstrual cycles as one course, unless a physician directs otherwise.
No. Pregnancy is listed as a contraindication.
Seek medical advice for persistent pelvic pain, unusual bleeding, significant allergy symptoms, persistent gastrointestinal symptoms, palpitations, or another concerning reaction.
References
Selected Research
-
[1]Placebo-controlled trial for endometriosis-associated pain
Population: Chinese women with endometriosis-associated pain at 15 centers
Indication: Endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain
Intervention: Sanjie Analgesic Capsule 1.6 g three times daily for three menstrual cycles
Comparison: Matching placebo
Sample size: 323 randomized: 241 active, 82 placebo
Duration: 3 menstrual cycles; outcomes at 3 and 6 months
Reported findings
Sanjie Analgesic Capsule reported higher dysmenorrhea response rates than placebo at three months (80.1% versus 30.5%) and six months (62.7% versus 31.7%); total adverse-event rates did not differ significantly.
Interpretation
This is directly relevant human evidence for the same Chinese-named finished medicine and the principal endometriosis-associated pain use.
Limitations
The trial used 3:1 allocation, had manufacturer sponsorship, and enrolled a defined Chinese endometriosis population, so results should not be generalized to every patient or labeled presentation.
Leng JH, Duan H, Guan Z, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Sanjie Analgesic Capsule in Patients with Endometriosis-Associated Pain: A Multicenter, 3:1 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2024;30(9):780–787. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-024-3756-y. PMID: 39046647.
Full title: Efficacy and Safety of Sanjie Analgesic Capsule for Endometriosis-Associated Pain
Study type: randomized_controlled_trial
PMID: 39046647
-
[2]Postoperative randomized trial for long-term endometriosis management
Population: Women with stage III-IV endometriosis after conservative laparoscopic surgery and initial GnRH-a treatment
Indication: Postoperative long-term management of moderate-to-severe endometriosis
Intervention: Sanjie Zhentong Capsule for 6 months
Comparison: Continued GnRH-a or oral contraceptive therapy
Sample size: 66 randomized; 21 received Sanjie Zhentong Capsule
Duration: 6 months of randomized treatment; about 22 months of follow-up
Reported findings
After surgery and initial GnRH-a treatment, recurrence and pain outcomes did not differ significantly between Sanjie Zhentong Capsule and the hormonal comparison groups.
Interpretation
This provides directly relevant postoperative evidence, but it does not show that the capsule was superior to the hormonal strategies or effective as stand-alone treatment.
Limitations
The study stopped below planned enrollment, included only 21 capsule recipients, and all participants had surgery plus initial GnRH-a treatment.
Ruan JY, Zheng YX, Tian Q, et al. Efficacy and Safety of SanJieZhenTong Capsules, a Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine, on Long-term Management of Endometriosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Reproductive and Developmental Medicine. 2021;5(1):15–22. DOI: 10.4103/2096-2924.313687.
Full title: Efficacy and Safety of SanJieZhenTong Capsules: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: randomized_controlled_trial
-
[3]Bayesian network meta-analysis of Chinese patent medicines for endometriosis
Population: 16,198 participants across 148 trials of ten Chinese patent medicines
Indication: Endometriosis
Intervention: Chinese patent medicines including Sanjie Zhentong Capsule
Comparison: Conventional therapies including hormone therapy and GnRH-a
Sample size: 148 trials; 16,198 participants across the complete network
Duration: Varied by included trial
Reported findings
The review reported favorable network estimates for Sanjie Zhentong Capsule on total response and adverse events, while other patent medicines ranked higher for some pain outcomes.
Interpretation
This broad synthesis adds context to the direct trials but does not replace study-level results or prove individual superiority.
Limitations
The network combined heterogeneous trials, medicines, and treatment combinations. Indirect comparisons and ranking statistics require cautious interpretation, and the authors called for high-quality validation.
Huang W, Liu T, Yu Y, et al. Efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional therapies for endometriosis: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2025;343:119465. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2025.119465. PMID: 39929398.
Full title: Chinese patent medicines for endometriosis: Bayesian network meta-analysis
Study type: meta_analysis
PMID: 39929398
-
[4]Beneficial effects of Sanjie Zhentong Capsule on experimental endometriosis in rats
Zou J, Guan Z, Zhang WY, Xiao W, Li YL. Beneficial effects of the Chinese herbal medicine Sanjie Zhentong Capsule on experimental endometriosis in rats. Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines. 2013;11(6):666–672. DOI: 10.1016/S1875-5364(13)60077-1. PMID: 24345508.
Full title: Beneficial effects of Sanjie Zhentong Capsule on experimental endometriosis in rats
Study type: animal_study
PMID: 24345508
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