Chinese and Western Therapeutic Pharmacological Research

A TCM formula has played an important role in the treatment of COVID-19 in China. However, the mechanism of TCM action is still unclear. In this study, we identified leupeptin, a metabolite produced by plant-symbiotic actinomyces (PSA), which showed antiviral activity in both cell culture and enzyme assays. Moreover, leupeptin found in the QFPD decoction was confirmed by both HPLC fingerprinting and HRMS. These results suggest that leupeptin likely contributes to the antiviral activity of the QFPD decoction against SARS-CoV-2. This result gives us important insight into further studies of the PSA metabolite and medicinal plant ecosystem for future TCM modernization research.

It is well known that the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 plays an important role in maturation of many viral proteins such as the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Here, we explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of the computationally determined top candidate–rutin, a key component in many traditional antiviral medicines such as Lian- huaqinwen and Shuanghuanlian, for inhibiting the viral target–Mpro. Using in silico methods (docking and molecular dynamics simulations), we revealed the dynamics and 1 energetics of rutin when interacting with the Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that the highly hydrophilic rutin molecule can be bound inside the Mpro’ pocket (active site) and possibly inhibit its biological functions…

The main protease of SARS-CoV-2, 3CLpro, is an attractive target for antiviral inhibitors due to its indispensable role in viral replication and gene expression of viral proteins. The search of compounds that can effectively inhibit the crucial activity of 3CLpro, which results to interference of the virus life cycle, is now widely pursued. Here, we report that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), is a potent inhibitor of 3CLpro with half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.874 ± 0.005 μM…

In this study, human exposure to LHQW components after 8repeated therapeutic doses were evaluated by determiningLHQW component profiles in human plasma and urine, whichwere accomplished mainly by acquiring accurate MS and MSdatasets using UPLCeHRMS and processing the MS datasetusing PATBS for untargeted detection of LHQW components…

The new coronavirus pneumonia, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, has become a pandemic.It is highly pathogenic and reproduces quickly. There are currently no specific drugs to prevent the reproductionand spread of COVID-19. Some traditional Chinese medicines, especially the Lung Cleansing and DetoxifyingDecoction (Qing Fei Pai Du Tang), have shown therapeutic effects on mild and ordinary COVID-19 patients.Polysaccharides are important ingredients in this decoction. This review summarizes the potential pharmaco-logical activities of polysaccharides isolated by hot water extraction from Lung Cleansing and DetoxifyingDecoction, which is consistent with its production method, to provide the theoretical basis for ongoing researchon its application

Chinese herbal medicine combined with conventional therapy may be effective and safe in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. More high-quality RCTs are needed in the future.

Background: Lianhuaqingke (LHQK) has been approved for the treatment of acute tracheobronchitis and exerts a broad-spectrum antiviral effect in our previous study. Methods: Acute pneumonia caused by HCoV-229E was modeled in BALB/c mice. The anti-viral effect of LHQK was assessed by measuring the lung index and virus titer of lung tissues. The expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lung tissues and peripheral blood were measured by ELISA. The morphological changes of lung tissues were observed by H&E staining. The subsets of Th cells were assayed by the flow cytometry, including Th0, Th1, Th2, Treg, and Th17. The expression level of MUC5AC in 16HBE cells treated with TNFα was measured by ELISA. Immuno- fluorescence staining for β-IV tubulin was used to identify the airway epithelial ciliary in the condition-cultured RTE cells treated with TNFα. The direct antiviral effect of LHQK was assessed in vitro in Vero E6 infected by SARS-CoV-2, vali- dated in vivo in the COVID-19 model of hACE2 transgenic mouse by detecting the lung index, the SARS-CoV-2 virus load, and the morphological changes of lung tissues.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an unprecedented disaster for people around the world. Many studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are effective in treating COVID-19. However, it is difficult to find the most effective combination herbal pair among numerous herbs, as well as identifying its potential mecha- nisms. Herbal pair is the main form of a combination of TCM herbs, which is widely used for the treatment of diseases. It can also help us to better understand the compatibility of TCM prescriptions, thus improving the curative effects. The purpose of this article is to explore the compatibility of TCM prescriptions and identify the most important herbal pair for the treatment of COVID-19, and then analyze the active components and potential mechanisms of this herbal pair.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a new global public health emergency. The therapeutic ben‐ efits of Cold‒Damp Plague Formula (CDPF) against COVID‐19, which was used to treat “cold‒dampness stagnation in the lung” in Trial Versions 6 and 7 of the “Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID‐19”, have been demonstrated, but the effective components and their mechanism of action remain unclear.

In this review, we mainly discussed the relationship between COVID-19 and gut microbiota (GM), as well as the possible impact of TCM combined with western medication on GM in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, aiming to provide references for the possible role of GM in TCM against COVID-19. The available data suggest that GM dysbiosis did occur in COVID-19 patients, and the intervention of GM could ameliorate the clinical condition of COVID-19 patients. In addition, TCMs (e.g., Jinhua Qinggan granule, Lianhua Qingwen capsule, Qingfei Paidu decoction, Shufeng Jiedu capsule, Qingjin Jianghuo decoction, Toujie Quwen granules, and MaxingShigan) have been proven to be safe and effective for the treatment of COVID-19 in Chinese clinic. Among them, Ephedra sinica, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Bupleurum chinense, Lonicera japonica,Scutellaria baicalensi, and Astragalus membranaceus are common herbs and have a certain regulation on GM, immunity, and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Notably, Qingfei Paidu decoction and MaxingShigan have been demonstrated to modulate GM. Finally, the hypothesis of GM-mediated TCM treatment of COVID-19 is proposed, and more clinical trials and basic experiments need to be initiated to confirm this hypothesis.