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Traditional Chinese Medicine for COVID

Just as ancient Indian medicine is under review for potential use for treatment of COVID-19, the Chinese have also turned to their ancient medical science to combat the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used in China, and represents a multi-billion dollar industry. So when the novel coronavirus hit China in early 2020 and no effective treatment was found, the Chinese turned to TCM, apparently based on their past experience in the treatment of infectious diseases including the SARS epidemic in 2003.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the human body (and in fact, all matter) is made up of Qi or vital energy. The qi controls the basic functions of the human body; when the normal flow of this life energy is disturbed, it causes disease. In the case of COVID, the pathogenic qi is stronger than the healthy qi and has an adverse effect on the lungs. TCM doctors described severe cases of COVID-19 as caused by a noxious dampness that causes the qi in the lungs to stagnate. Therefore, TCM focuses on the protection and repair of lungs.

According to research papers published in China, TCM was widely used during the recent COVID-19 outbreak in China and there is evidence that it helped reduce severe symptoms of patients. According to one article, TCM was used on 92% of China’s COVID-19 patients and in Wuhan, nearly all patients received TCM. Six remedies have been formulated for COVID-19 including one called Jinhua Qinggan which was developed during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009. Like Ayurveda, TCM also relies on medicinal herbs, which are made into concoctions. For example, the prescription for mild patients of COVID-19 is composed of mulberry leaf, chrysanthemum, forsythia, almond, mint, reed root, licorice and Chinese bellflower. TCM has different formulations to treat different stages of coronavirus patients, and the prescriptions are varied as the patient’s condition changes.

TCM Ingredients


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