Children’s blister after using sanfu paste Photo: screenshot from the video of the Red Star News

92 children suffering from the adverse side effects of a traditional Chinese medicine paste in a hospital in East China's Jiangxi Province have received follow-up treatment, the hospital said Tuesday.

A total of 92 out of 881 children who received sanfu paste on Friday and Saturday were suffering from side effects such as skin swelling and festering, blisters and itchiness, the Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital said in a statement on its website.

Jiangxi's health authority said experts are working on an investigation into the side effects. Follow-up treatment and monitoring efforts are ongoing, news site thepaper.cn reported.

The hospital has stopped providing sanfu paste treatment since the side effects began to show up.

Sanfu, also called China's "dog days of summer," refers to three periods that are predicted to be the hottest days of the year. This year sanfu starts on July 12 and will end on August 20.

The traditional Chinese medicine could help improve people's resistance to diseases in the hot summer, said the hospital, suggesting that the paste is helpful for those who are vulnerable to allergic rhinitis, pharyngitis, asthma, coughs, chronic bronchitis and other ailments that typically happen in autumn and winter.

The entire cost of the hospital's sanfu paste treatment is 400 yuan ($58.20) per child, Shanghai-based news site thepaper.cn reported Wednesday.

Parents are demanding that the hospital prove that sanfu paste has no toxic side effects and to release the composition of the paste, thepaper.cn reported.

They have also requested financial compensation and treatment from the hospital to remove their children's scars, said the report.

The hospital started advertising the sanfu paste treatment on June 24.

The hospital mentioned the limitations of sanfu paste in the advertisement, warning that it cannot be provided to those who have skin ulcers or skin infections.

The topic has quickly become a hot public discussion on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo. Some netizens have said that sanfu paste doesn't work and they have doubts about its effectiveness as a medicine. However, others claim that sanfu paste is effective if it is used correctly.

"It is unwise to deny the entire Chinese traditional medicine. Patients should use the regular sanfu paste and strictly follow the instructions," one net user said.

While receiving the treatment, children should avoid spicy, cold and irritating food, as well as seafood, beef and mutton, the Jiangxi hospital warned in its advertisement.