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Review
. 2021 May:85:153297.
doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153297. Epub 2020 Aug 5.

Therapeutic options of TCM for organ injuries associated with COVID-19 and the underlying mechanism

Jia-Li Zhang  1 , Wen-Xiong Li  1 , Yue Li  1 , Man-Sau Wong  2 , Yong-Jun Wang  3 , Yan Zhang  4
Affiliations
Review

Therapeutic options of TCM for organ injuries associated with COVID-19 and the underlying mechanism

Jia-Li Zhang et al. Phytomedicine. 2021 May.

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection with severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading rapidly throughout China and in other countries since the end of 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the epidemic is a public health emergency of international concerns. The timely and appropriate measures for treating COVID-19 in China, which are inseparable from the contribution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have won much praise of the world.

Purpose: This review aimed to summarize and discuss the essential role of TCM in protecting tissues from injuries associated with COVID-19, and accordingly to clarify the possible action mechanisms of TCM from the perspectives of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.

Methods: Electronic databases such as Pubmed, ResearchGate, Science Direct, Web of Science, medRixv and Wiley were used to search scientific literatures.

Results: The present review found that traditional Chinese herbs commonly used for the clinical treatment of organ damages caused by COVID-19, such as Scutellaria baicalensis, Salvia miltiorrhizaSalvia miltiorrhiza, and ginseng, could act on multiple signaling pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Conclusion: TCM could protect COVID-19 patients from tissue injuries, a protection that might be, at least partially, attributed to the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects of the TCM under investigation. This review provides evidence and support for clinical treatment and novel drug research using TCM.

Keywords: Active component; Coronavirus disease 2019; Pharmacological mechanism; Severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2; Signaling pathway; Traditional Chinese medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig. 1
Mechanisms involved in organ damages associated with COVID-19. Three pathological mechanisms, inflammation due to cytokine storm, oxidative stress and apoptosis, are elucidated to describe respective molecular pathway in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and to understand the development of tissue injuries with COVID-19.
Fig 2
Fig. 2
Therapeutic mechanisms of TCM on organ damages associated with COVID-19. The bioactive compounds and components of TCM, baicalein, ginsenoside Rf, Tan-IIA, emodin, water extract of FF, neochlorogenic acid, CP, AS-IV, puerarin, magnolol and PNs, are presented to illustrate the therapeutic mechanisms of TCM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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