Annals of Chinese Medicine

Shao et al from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University performed Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis which included 12 RCTs with 889 patients. They found that Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (血府逐瘀汤) was as effective as antidepressants and may be used for treating Post-Stroke Depression (PST) in patients who prefer Chinese medicine or cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressants.

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As COVID-19 pandemic poses a substantial global public health threat, TCM (mostly herbal medicine) was used in 91.50% of the COVID-19 cases in China, showing encouraging results in improving symptom management and reducing the deterioration, mortality, and recurrence rates. We discovered that Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome (Gan Cao), Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin), and Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Xin Ren) were the most frequently utilized in clinics, most of which were antipyretic (47, 26.26%), expectorant and cough-suppressing (22, 12.29%), and dampness-resolving (21, 11.73%) from traditional descriptions. A total of 1212 chemical components containing β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and quercetin were primarily selected.

The article aims to make more easily accessible and share historical herbal knowledge used in contemporary treatments in a modern manner to assist researchers to treat COVID-19.

Wan et al performed a data mining analysis to discover potential acupoints to treat schizophrenia. They analysed 49 clinical trials with 51 acupuncture prescriptions. Their findings showed that 

1) GV 20, PC 6, GV 29, ST 36, SP 6, LI 4, LR 3, ST 40, HT 7, EX-HN 1, GV 24, and GV 26 were the most frequently used acupoints;

2) the Du Vessel was the most commonly used meridian;

and 3) acupoint combinations of GV 20 and GV 29, GV 20 and LI 4, GV 20 and PC 6, and GV 20 and ST 36 were frequently used.

Liu WH, Guo SN, Wang F, Hao Y. Understanding of Guidance for acupuncture and moxibustion interventions on COVID-19 issued by China Association of Acupuncture-Moxibustion. World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion. 2020 Mar 17, in press

据中国网讯，此次国内新冠肺炎确诊病例中，有74187人使用了中医药，占91.5%，其中湖北省有61449人使用了中医药，占90.6%。临床疗效观察显示，中医药总有效率达到了90%以上。中医药能够有效缓解症状，能够减少轻型、普通型向重型发展，能够提高治愈率、降低病亡率，能够促进恢复期人群机体康复。

The fabulous research from the top clinician and scientists e.g. Dr. Zhong Nanshan (钟南山) who fought in the battle against Covid-19 finally released their newest findings. They demonstrated that Lian Hua Qing Wen exerted its anti-coronavirus activity by inhibiting virus replication and reducing the cytokine release from host cells, which supported the clinical use of the medicine in combination with traditional approaches to treat COVID-2019.

Lung et al from Chang Gung University reported that theaflavin from black tea has a lower idock score in the catalytic pocket of RdRp in SARS‐CoV‐2, SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV from idock, and  has a lowest binding energy when it docks in the catalytic pocket of SARS‐CoV‐2 RdRp. Therefore theaflavin could be a potential SARS‐CoV‐2 RdRp inhibitor.

In press: 十枣汤治疗肝硬化腹水临证谈/Discussion on the clinical use of Shi Zao Tang (Ten Jujubes Decoction) is available online. 

Based on recent media reports on the successful use of Chinese medicine to prevent and treat COVID-19 and modern application of Chinese Medicine to prevent SARS and HINI influenza, it’s reasonable to say that Chinese medicine (herbal formula) could be an alternative approach for prevention of COVID-19 in the high-risk population.

A research team from Toyohari Medical Association reported that Traditional Japanese Moxibustion (TJM) technique might be helpful in developing countries in reducing infectivity in TB cases as well as in accelerating recoveries, and significantly enhancing recoveries in MDR-TB cases. Additionally, they found out that TJM may also prevent the emergence of MDR-TB from latent infection.