Analysis on application of Chinese materia medica in treatment of COVID-19 by suppressing cytokine storm

ABSTRACT

At the end of December, 2019, a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak was found in China. COVID-19 spreads all over 268 countries, and more than 70 000 people got infected till February 23th, 2020. COVID-19 can result in acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure due to its strong infectivity and extensive spread. These severe complications are believed to be the consequence of cytokine storm caused by the virus infection. In the “Diagnosis and treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia”, glucocorticoid is recommended as the immunosuppressive agents to prevent acute immune reaction in critical patients. However, the usage of glucocorticoid may bring severe residual effects such as superinfection risks, prolonged course of disease. Traditional Chinese medicine might have advantages in the moderation of immune system. Actually, TCM is now applied in the treatment of COVID-19 clinically, and exhibits excellent therapeutic effects. In this review, the potential usage of TCM or traditional prescriptions in inhibiting cytokine storm and treating in acute lung injury were analyzed, which would be an effective strategy for the treatment of COVID-19.