Traditional Chinese medicines against COVID-19: A global overview

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, continues to be a global concern. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are an important element of the fight against COVID-19 in China. The combined application of TCMs and conventional medicines in the treatment of COVID-19 has achieved beneficial results, including the resolution of symptoms, prevention of disease progression, and reduced mortality. In this review, we summarize and discuss the current applications of TCMs with respect to COVID-19, as well as update the preclinical and clinical research, including chemical analysis, molecular mechanisms, quality control, drug development, and studies of clinical efficacy. The expectation is that a better understanding of the roles of TCMs against COVID-19 will improve the response to COVID-19, both in China and globally.