Traditional Chinese medicine could help treat symptoms of COVID-19

The novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019, causing the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19 ).

COVID-19 is a highly transmissible disease that has spread to more than 191 countries and territories around the world. To date, 97.61 million cases have been confirmed and more than 2 million people have lost their lives.

Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis indicate that SARS-CoV-2 is related to the SARS bat virus. However, the main and intermediate pathways of SARS-CoV-2 jump to humans remain unclear; researchers continued to explore what, when and how this zoonosis happened. Meanwhile, clinical trials are underway to find effective antiviral drugs or prophylactic vaccines against COVID-19.

A team of researchers in China – at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine – recently explored the therapeutic properties of Yinqiao powder in treating symptoms of COVID-19. Their results were recently published in Herbal medicine research.

Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Help Treat Symptoms of COVID-19?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a comprehensive system that plays a key role in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Several Chinese provinces have followed TCM-based COVID-19 prevention and treatment plans, with remarkable results.

After more than 2000 years of development, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has formed a complete and unique system from disease diagnosis to prognosis, which plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of human infectious diseases.

Based on big data analysis, it was found that Yinqiao powder is the basic formulation used to treat the early stages of COVID-19. According to pharmacological studies, Yinqiao powder has an antitussive and expectorant effect, alleviates acute lung damage, improves lung function, relieves pulmonary fibrosis, improves immune response to viruses, and alleviates side effects of modern drugs.

Yinqiao powder active ingredients and their key functions

The active ingredients of Yinqiao powder were identified using high performance liquid chromatography analysis: rutin and hesperidin. Rutin binds to the main protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 with more affinity than drugs such as remdesivir, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine. Studies show that rutin can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 by down-regulating interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Hesperidin, on the other hand, has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, GRP78, TMPRSS2 and AT1R and therefore may be effective in the treatment of COVID. -19. Although some bioactive substances are being studied for their ability to treat COVID-19, extensive studies on the ability of Yinqiao powder to treat COVID-19 are rare.

Exploring the active ingredients and potential mechanisms of Yinqiao powder in the treatment of COVID-19

Researchers recently used several techniques to analyze the active ingredients, targets and possible mechanisms of Yinqiao powder in the treatment of COVID-19. They used techniques such as target selection and DisGeNET scoring, construction of protein-protein interaction networks, construction of drug-ingredient-gene network, molecular anchoring, and surface plasmon resonance analysis. (SPR), Gene Tissue Analysis, Functional Genontology Analysis (GO) and Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia Pathway Analysis (KEGG).

Researchers also predicted the therapeutic impact of Yinqiao powder with the help of TCManti-COVID-19 (TCMATCOV). Yinqiao powder has an intervention score of 20.16.

In our study, 30 ingredients of Yinqiao powder were selected from the TCMSP database based on OB and DL, and five ingredients, namely hesperetin, erodictyol, luteolin, quercetin and naringenin, were verified by LC-MS analysis.

Luteolin, erodictyol, quercetin, and naringenin were the other effective active ingredients found in Yinqiao powder that work against COVID-19. The proteins concentrated in Yinqiao powder were IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), mitogen activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) and tumor protein P53 (TP53). Analysis of the drug-ingredient-gene target network revealed that drugs such as Jinyinhua, Jingjiesui, Lianqiao, Bohe, Jiegeng and Gancao have the ability to improve symptoms of COVID-19 patients.

Analysis of the drug – ingredient – gene target network revealed that Jinyinhua, Lianqiao, Jingjiesui, Jiegeng, Bohe and Gancao have potential anti-COVID-19 effects. Some of these drugs have been confirmed to have clear benefits in improving clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19

According to the authors, the potential mechanisms by which Yinqiao powder may help treat COVID-19 are the TNF signaling pathway, the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, the T-cell receptor signaling pathway, and the MAPK signaling. They believe this study offers a new perspective for finding potential drugs to treat COVID-19.

Although these signaling pathways have been linked to the onset and development of COVID-19, there is currently no experience to further verify the specific role of Yinqiao powder against COVID-19 in these signaling pathways.