Shin, Hye-Young, An, Nyeon-Hyoung, Cha, Yun-Jin et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology · 2004 · DOI
This study tested whether Kuibitang (KBT), a traditional herbal treatment used in South Korea, could affect immune system chemicals in people with ME/CFS. Researchers added KBT to blood cells from CFS patients and healthy people, then stimulated those cells to see how they responded. They found that KBT reduced some inflammatory chemicals but increased others, suggesting it might help balance the abnormal immune responses seen in CFS.
ME/CFS is characterized by dysregulated immune function and abnormal cytokine production, and current treatment options are limited. This study provides mechanistic evidence that an ethnobotanical compound may help normalize immune signaling in CFS patients, which could inform development of new therapeutic approaches and validate the clinical use of traditional remedies.
This study does not demonstrate that Kuibitang actually treats or cures ME/CFS in living patients—it only shows laboratory effects on isolated blood cells. The findings do not establish which concentration would be effective in people, whether these immune changes would translate to clinical improvement, or whether the effects would persist over time with actual treatment.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Shin, Hye-Young, An, Nyeon-Hyoung, Cha, Yun-Jin, Shin, Eun-Ju, Shin, Tae-Yong, Baek, Seung-Hwa, et al. (2004). Effect of Kuibitang on lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.. Journal of ethnopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2003.10.006
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-shin-2004-effect-kuibitang,
author = {Shin, Hye-Young and An, Nyeon-Hyoung and Cha, Yun-Jin and Shin, Eun-Ju and Shin, Tae-Yong and Baek, Seung-Hwa and Kim, Cheorl-Ho and Lyu, Yeung-Su and Lee, Eon-Jeong and Kim, Hyung-Min},
title = {Effect of Kuibitang on lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.},
journal = {Journal of ethnopharmacology},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1016/j.jep.2003.10.006},
note = {PubMed: 15013189},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/shin-2004-effect-kuibitang},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/shin-2004-effect-kuibitang
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