Differentiation and treatment of COVID-19 with traditional Chinese medicine

ABSTRACT

Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) is highly infectious and has high mortality. There is no specific drug for it at present. Chinese medicine has achieved certain results in the treatment of this disease. COVID-19 can be classified as 'plague' in traditional Chinese medicine. It originates from the pestilential plagues and abnormal climates in the four seasons, and invade the body through mouth, nose and eyes. The disease position is mainly in the lung, may involve the membrane and spread throughout San Jiao(the Three Warmer). The pathogenesis can be characterized by 'warm-heat-humidity-toxin'. According to the clinical manifestations and the regular pattern of disease transmission, NCP can be divided into four stages, namely, the initial stage, the progressive stage, the critical stage and the recovery stage. The principles of syndrome differentiation, disease differentiation and constitution differentiation should be followed in the treatment. At the same time, we should also pay attention to the details of drug decocting, medication methods and medication duration.