COVID-19 and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine

China’s treatment of the COVID-19 virus has been a combination of pharmaceutical medicine and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCM). The herbal formulas are thought to not kill the virus, but relieve many of the symptoms which can weaken patients. Chinese doctors have seen profound results from preventing moderate cases to shortening the recovery phase. China’s National Health Commission confirmed 90% of total nationwide confirmed cases of COVID-19 are treated with Chinese herbal medicine in conjunction with pharmaceuticals. Overall, doctors and scientists agree there is no single cure.

Over the last couple of weeks, China sent three envoys of medical experts to Italy with expertise in all areas of epidemic control, including treatment with TCM. As the pandemic is taking hold in Africa, Chinese TCM practitioners there are treating patients with COVID-19 with the same success.

In an interview with Dr. Wu Xia, a specialist in charge of the pulmonary department of the first quarantine ward in Wuhan, China, and led ten other quarantine wards in-hospital, she states that TCM prescriptions are always given in preparation for flu season, which greatly improves immunity, and that all the healthcare workers practice self-care with moxibustion.

The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus is unlike anything we’ve known so far. China has 5,000 years of treating epidemics with a system of herbal medicine. Currently, herbal prescriptions are given by medical doctors in conjunction with the necessary medications. I hope that TCM will be included in the clinical trials and laboratory research underway.

References

GT staff reporters 2/20/2020, TCM remedies cure and improve more COVID-19 patients with national promotion Global Times Published, viewed 4/1/2020, <https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1180276.shtml

Chinese Herbal Medicine For COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Treatment, Healthcare Medicine Institute, viewed 4/1/2020, https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/2009-chinese-herbal-medicine-for-covid-19-coronavirus-treatment?utm_source=HealthCMi&utm_campaign=ff55f4da59-9-2-18_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f2a9d49b2d-ff55f4da59-382791462

Yang Y, et al. Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Patients Infected with 2019-New Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2): A Review and Perspective. International Journal of Biological Sciences 2020, https://www.ijbs.com/v16p1708.htm

China sends third group of medical experts to Italy, Xinhuanet 3/25/2020, viewed 4/1/2020, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/25/c_138915898.htm

Xinhua Headlines: Traditional Chinese Medicine gaining popularity in Africa amid COVID-19 outbreak, Xinhuanet 3/19/2020, viewed 4/1/20, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/19/c_138895469.htm

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) n.d., Explore Integrative Medicine UCLA, viewed 4/2/2020, http://exploreim.ucla.edu/covid-19/

Management of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19): the Zhejiang experience, 2/21/2020, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, viewed 4/1/20, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32096367

An Interview with Dr. Xia Wu On the Front Lines of Treatment of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China 3/2020, TCM Zone LLC, viewed 3/26/2020, http://web-extract.constantcontact.com/v1/social_annotation_v2?permalink_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fmyemail.constantcontact.com%2FA-Special-Edition-Interview-with-Dr–Wu-Xia-from-Wuhan–a-Respiratory-Specialist-Treating-COVID-19-Patients-w-TCM.html%3Fsoid%3D1011149544057%26aid%3Doo6LPnV5zlk&image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmlsvc01-prod.s3.amazonaws.com%2F97a953d6be%2F444ec767-1554-4417-aa6a-acde59d4800b.jpg%3Fver%3D1583885012000