Creating a chinese herbal medicine database to support a clinical trial for suspected COVID-19

Purpose: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is a common therapy and is used alongside conventional medicine in some Chinese and Taiwanese hospitals. While a few trials are published outside of the US examining CHM's impact on coronaviruses, in the United States, before a trial can begin, the Food and Drug Administration requires evidence of safety and effectiveness for each herb to be used. Methods: This project is a literature review of articles needed to pursue prospective controlled research in Chinese Herbal Medicine. We are following the template of a group of NIH-funded researchers who completed a successful botanical application to the Federal Drug Administration (Ritenbaugh et al, 2012). We first received from our expert herbal collaborators a list of the 60 most necessary single herbs needed to treat expected COVID-19 cases. Next, we developed a database to place herbs into the required categories: pharmacology, toxicology, interactions with biomedical drugs, and previous human experience. We searched HerbMed Pro, Natural Medicine, PubMed, Chinese Traditional Herb Database, and the textbook Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica and Formulas & Strategies v 4 (Bensky et al, 2013. Eastland Press). During the research, systematic reviews and meta-analysis resources were primarily considered. The primary targets included COVID-, viral infection-, and influenzarelated articles as well. Results: All categories in the database have been completed by the authors and we are currently double-checking each other's work. Conclusion: Students are learning what categories of information are necessary to conduct research in the United States, as well as deepening their understanding of evidence-based medicine and integrative medicine. This database will be used to support federal funding for a prospective controlled trial.

COVID-19 Pandemic Is Associated with an Adverse Impact on Burnout and Mood Disorder in Healthcare Professionals

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic results in a profound physical and mental burden on healthcare professionals. This study aims to evaluate burnout status and mood disorder of healthcare workers during this period. An online questionnaire was voluntarily answered by eligible adult employees in a COVID-19 specialized medical center. The major analysis included the burnout status and mood disorder. Factors related to more severe mood disorder were also identified. A total of 2029 participants completed the questionnaire. There were 901 (44.4%) and 923 (45.5%) participants with moderate to severe personal and work-related burnout status, respectively. Nurses working in the emergency room (ER), intensive care unit (ICU)/isolation wards, and general wards, as well as those with patient contact, had significantly higher scores for personal burnout, work-related burnout, and mood disorder. This investigation identified 271 participants (13.35%) with moderate to severe mood disorder linked to higher personal/work-related burnout scores and a more advanced burnout status. Univariate analysis revealed that nurses working in the ER and ICU/isolation wards were associated with moderate to severe mood disorder risk factors. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that working in the ER (OR, 2.81;95% CI, 1.14-6.90) was the only independent risk factor. More rest, perquisites, and an adequate supply of personal protection equipment were the most desired assistance from the hospital. Compared with the non-pandemic period (2019), employees working during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) have higher burnout scores and percentages of severe burnout. In conclusion, this study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on healthcare professionals. Adequate measures should be adopted as early as possible to support the healthcare system.