Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health problem due to its highly contagious nature. This article aims to discuss the current situation of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for traditional Chinese medicine research and scientific and standardized treatment of COVID-19. In this article, the etiology, pathogenesis, treatment plan and research progress were summarized, analyzed and concluded by retrieving and reviewing the literature and clinical reports related to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine has obvious effects in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression, which had the unique advantages of mild curative efficacy and safety. It has important practical significance in relieving patients' early symptoms and reducing the incidence of progression from mild to severe, and had great potential for development in the treatment of COVID-19. The traditional Chinese medicine intervention and the formulation of diagnosis and treatment plans for the COVID-19 need to be continuously optimized and improved. Scientific and rational application of traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and treat COVID-19, optimization diagnosis and treatment programs, and in-depth exploration of pharmacological mechanisms, especially the provide reference for early intervention of new coronavirus pneumonia by traditional Chinese medicine, the control of disease progression in the middle stage, and improve prognosis in the late stage with Western medicine. © 2022 Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control. All rights reserved.