Traditional Chinese herbal medicine-potential therapeutic application for the treatment of COVID-19

Abstract

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete medical system that has evolved over millennia to include practices and procedures such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, manual therapies, nutrition, and mind–body therapies such as qi gong. In modern-day China and other Asian countries, TCM is a medical subspecialty utilized alongside western biomedicine. During the current Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, TCM and TCM herbal medicine is being used and a number of single herbs and combination formulas have significant bioactivity and therapeutic potential. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the use of TCM in the treatment of COVID-19. This commentary provides the reader with a concise background on COVID-19 and summarizes TCM concepts including identification, pattern diagnosis, and treatment principles commonly used for the treatment of viral influenza-like diseases. It also highlights some of the challenges and potential for using TCM in an integrated medical setting.