China used to be the center of COVID-19, but now the United States has the most confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths than any other country in the world. Learning from China’s success from their COVID-19 battle, we know that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) probably played an important role. Western medicine (such as anti-HIV medicine), has its risks and limits, so the value of TCM once again has captured the attention and brought new opportunities. The opportunities involved but are not limited to, potentially prevent COVID-19, treat COVID-19 and its complications, treat mental disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression, lessen the side effects of western medicines and treatments, boost immunity, improve respiratory and circulatory functions, and improve overall health and life quality.

There are several published papers regarding the treatment of COVID-19 using TCM. One study executed a screening to identify Chinese medical herbs that are commonly used in treating viral respiratory infections and contain compounds that might directly inhibit the 2019 novel coronavirus. The study shows that “Of the natural compounds screened, 13 that exist in traditional Chinese medicines were also found to have potential anti-2019-nCoV activity. Further, 125 Chinese herbs were found to contain 2 or more of these 13 compounds. Of these 125 herbs, 26 are classically cataloged as treating viral respiratory infections.” Therefore, the study concluded with this statement, “Chinese herbal treatments classically used for treating viral respiratory infection might contain direct anti-2019-nCoV compounds.”

For more information, you can visit at Journal of Integrative Medicine. 

To see more publications on the use of TCM to treat COVID-19, please click here.