Chinese Herbal Medicine For COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Treatment
Acupuncturists trained in Chinese herbal medicine have provided treatment for COVID-19 patients with important results. This article presents current COVID-19 research on herbal medicine and general COVID-19 information.
COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus affecting humans and was officially identified in 2019. The terms coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), 2019 novel coronavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) all refer to the same virus. SARS-CoV-2 was selected, in part, because the virus has similarities to the SARS outbreak of 2003. COVID-19 is the term developed by the World Health Organization.
Coronaviruses are zoonotic; they can be transmitted between animals and people. Signs and symptoms typically occur between 2–14 days after exposure and include respiratory disorders, coughing, fever, shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, bluish lips, and difficulty breathing. Potentially fatal complications include pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and sepsis. High-risk individuals include the elderly and people with heart and lung disease, asthma, low CD4 counts (including some HIV patients), or diabetes.
Preventative recommendations include social distancing, hand washing, covering the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and thoroughly cooking both meat and eggs. It is recommended to avoid touching the mouth, nose, and eyes with unwashed hands and to clean and disinfect surfaces. Chlorine and alcohol based disinfectants, along with other EPA-registered disinfectants, are currently recommended by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA).
One potentially effective approach to patient care is a synthetic form of quinine, called hydroxychloroquine. Quinine is a compound extracted from the bark of the Cinchona tree, which is native to Peru. Originally used for the treatment of malaria until resistant strains emerged, hydroxychloroquine is less toxic than the original amine synthesized in 1934 (chloroquine). However, chloroquine is more effective against certain strains of malaria. Currently, malaria is treated with natural and synthetic forms of the Chinese herbal medicine Qing Hao (artemisia).
Researchers from University of Palermo (Italy) and Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine (Israel) published findings on the treatment of COVID-19. They note, “Chloroquine seems to be effective in limiting the replication of SARS-CoV-2 (virus causing COVID-19) in vitro.” They cited State Council of China research, noting that chloroquine is “highly effective in reducing viral replication” in cells infected by SARS-CoV-2. In addition, Gao et al. demonstrate that chloroquine is more effective than a control group in 100 patients for reducing exacerbation of pneumonia, duration of symptoms, and delay of viral clearance. The research of Gao et al. indicates that chloroquine may reduce the length of hospital stays and provide effective treatment for COVID-19 related pneumonia.
Based on the evidence, chloroquine phosphate tablets (500 mg, 2 times per day) for a total of 10 days is the official recommendation of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province and Health Commission of Guangdong Province for patients with SARS-CoV-2 related pneumonia, as long as patients have no contraindications to the medication. The panel also recommended avoiding the following drugs: chinolones, macrolides, ondansetron, and many antiarrhythmics, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.
The Dutch Center of Disease control (CDC) recommends chloroquine and oxygen therapy, although dosage recommendations vary from the Chinese protocol. The Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Disease also recommends chloroquine with a slightly different dosage protocol as well. The University of Palermo (Italy) and Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine research paper concludes that there is sufficient pre-clinical evidence for the use of chloroquine for COVID-19 treatment. Given the paucity of research on COVID-19, more investigations are recommended.
COVID-19 is identified with an initial outbreak in Wuhan (China) in December 2019. On January 29th of 2019, the National TCM Rescue Team (China) intervened at the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. After five days, eight patients afflicted with COVID-19 were discharged after treatment with Chinese medicine. Of these eight individuals, six had been critically ill prior to administration of traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine had been used in similar conditions in 2003 during the SARS outbreak, with documented clinical successes. Despite initial clinical successes and promising research, the cure rate for COVID-19 remains difficult to achieve and, even with integrative medicine available, remains an extremely dangerous contagion.
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According to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), the herbal formula Qing Fei Pai Du Tang had a 90% response rate out of a total of 214 clinical cases of COVID-19 related pneumonia. Patients were treated in Shanxi, Hebei, Shanxi, and Heilongjiang Provinces in this clinical investigation. A breakdown of the 90% response rate is as follows: symptoms markedly improved in ≥60% and the remaining 30% of patients stabilized.
Another investigation tracked 701 COVID-19 patients across 10 Chinese provinces that were treated with Qing Fei Pai Du Tang. A total of 130 patients (18.5%) were cured, symptoms including fever and coughing completely resolved in an additional 51 patients (7.27%), symptom improvements occurred in an additional 268 patients (38.2%), and stabilization occurred in 212 patients (30.2%). [9] In related findings from two additional studies, Lian Hua Qing Wen Capsule helped resolve COVID-19 symptoms and promoted recovery.
According to Du Hong-Zhi et al., Chinese medicine physicians adjust specific treatments based on differential diagnostics dependent upon the stage of pneumonia presenting at Chinese hospitals. Although Qing Fei Pai Du Tang is recommended by the NATCM, treatment protocols vary according to diagnostic considerations across clinics throughout China.
References:
Cortegiani, Andrea, Giulia Ingoglia, Mariachiara Ippolito, Antonino Giarratano, and Sharon Einav. “A systematic review on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19.” Journal of Critical Care (2020).
Gao J, Tian Z, Yang X. Breakthrough: chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treatment of COVID-19 associated pneumonia in clinical studies. Biosci Trends 2020 Feb 19.
Colson P, Rolain J-M, Raoult D. Chloroquine for the 2019 novel coronavirus SARS- CoV-2. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2020:105923.
Hong-Zhi, D. U., H. O. U. Xiao-Ying, M. I. A. O. Yu-Huan, H. U. A. N. G. Bi-Sheng, and L. I. U. Da-Hui. “Traditional Chinese Medicine: an effective treatment for 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP).” Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines 18, no. 3 (2020): 1-5.
Zhao J, Tian SS, Yang J, Liu J, Zhang WD. Investigating the mechanism of Qing-Fei-Pai-Du-Tang for the treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia by network pharmacology. Chin Herb Med. 2020: 1-7.