Exploration of potential clinical application value and mechanism of Chinese materia medica for tonifying qi and activating blood in COVID-19 with hypoxemia

ABSTRACT

For SARS-CoV-2-induced pneumonia, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (trial version 3)” released by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine on January 22, 2020, first proposed the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment plan, which was gradually updated to the seventh edition. Patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19 often developed dyspnea and/or hypoxemia one week after onset, requiring respiratory support and circulation support. Through literature research, it was found that Chinese materia medica (CMM) with tonifying qi and activating blood effect could effectively improve hypoxemia of pneumonia-related diseases. This article summarizes the mechanism and clinical application of tonifying qi and activating blood CMM in the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia-associated hypoxemia, and provides a reference for clinical treatment of COVID-19.