Co esponding au ho : Bashige Chi ibagula V
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Plan s used in T adi ional Chinese Medicine (TCM) o he ea men o Co id-19 in
2020: A synop ic e iew
Bashige Chi ibagula Valen in 1, *, Okusa Ndjolo Philippe 1, Biayi Benaja Ma in 2, N abaza Ndage Viannney 2,
M, Mbayo Kalubandika Glaube 2, Baka i Amu i Sal ius 2 and Lumbu Simbi Jean-Bap is e 3
1 Depa men o Pha macology, Labo a o y o The apeu ic Chemis y and Analysis o Na u al Subs ances, Facul y o
Pha maceu ical Sciences, Uni e si y o Lubumbashi (UNILU), 27, a . Ka o, Commune Kampemba, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
2 Depa men o Pha macology, Labo a o y o Pha macognosy, Facul y o Pha maceu ical Sciences, Uni e si y o
Lubumbashi (UNILU)- 27, a Ka o, Commune Kampemba, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
3 Depa men o Chemis y– Facul y o Sciences–Uni e si y o Lubumbashi (UNILU) N°1 Ma e ni y A enue, Commune o
Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 22 Ma ch 2025; e ised on 09 May 2025; accep ed on 11 May 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.26.2.1839
Abs ac
Since Decembe 2019, he wo ld has expe ienced an unp eceden ed pandemic due o COVID-19 i al in ec ion, bu li le
in o ma ion has been epo ed on he plan s ha ha e con ibu ed o i s managemen . In his s udy, we epo on
medicinal plan s used in China o comba his pandemic, some o which may be ound in Congolese adi ional medicine.
The compila ion o di e en a icles epo ed in di e en sea ch engines made i possible o collec di e en
in o ma ion on he medicinal plan s used du ing his c isis in China. 45 plan s we e lis ed in 9 ecipes. These plan s,
mos o which a e As e aceae and o which Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Jing Jie o (Zhi) Gan Cao] is he mos
ci ed, a e used a se e al s ages o co id-19 and ha e se e al pha macological ac i i ies, he mos equen o which a e
an i-in lamma o y (71%), an ioxidan (55.6%) and immunomodula o y (33.3%). This s udy shows ha se e al plan s
used in adi ional Chinese medicine ha e made i possible o manage co id-19 in China and show se ious indica ions
o subsequen an i-co id-19 he apeu ic po en ial. This Chinese expe ience should inspi e o he non-con en ional
medicines in he igh agains new pa hologies.
Keywo ds: SARS-Co -2; TCM; Plan s; Glycy hiza u alensis
1. In oduc ion
The apid sp ead o COVID-19 has a ec ed 99.3% o coun ies wo ldwide, wi h nea ly 800 million con i med cases and
a mo ali y a e close o 10%. In China, 81,601 cases we e o icially epo ed [1], wi h a eco ded mo ali y a e o 0.3%
[2]. Howe e , hese igu es ha e been ques ioned by se e al coun ies, ci ing conce ns o e he anspa ency o China's
communica ion du ing he pandemic. In he Democ a ic Republic o Congo (DRC), as o Oc obe 7, 2022, a o al o 92,893
cases had been eco ded, including 1,443 dea hs, e lec ing a mo ali y a e highe han he global a e age [3].
The mos common clinical mani es a ions o his pa hology include e e , cough, a igue, spu um p oduc ion, sho ness
o b ea h, as well as pha yngeal pain and headaches. Addi ionally, some pa ien s ha e exhibi ed gas oin es inal
symp oms such as dia hea (3.8%) and omi ing (5.0%) [4,5]. Elde ly indi iduals and hose wi h como bidi ies—
hype ension, ch onic obs uc i e pulmona y disease, diabe es, and ca dio ascula diseases— equen ly p og ess o
acu e espi a o y dis ess synd ome, o en accompanied by sep ic shock, di icul - o-co ec me abolic acidosis, and
coagula ion diso de s ha may esul in a al ou comes [6].
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
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In esponse o he pandemic, se e al adi ional medicine emedies ha e been spon aneously p oposed o he
ea men o espi a o y condi ions. Among hem, he decoc ion o ga lic (Allium sa i um L., Liliaceae) in Tunisia, whose
an i i al p ope ies had been p e iously demons a ed [7,8], and he in usion o basil (Ocimum basilicum L., Lamiaceae)
in Alge ia, which also exhibi s an i i al p ope ies [9,10]. Howe e , o da e, no s udy has conclusi ely con i med hei
e icacy agains COVID-19 o hei ac ual use in he ea men o his in ec ion.
In Cô e d'I oi e, some plan s we e epo ed as symp oma ic o Co id-19, such as Acacia nilo ica (L.) Delile, Azadi ach a
indica A. Juss , Zingibe o icinale Roscoe, and, Ci us limon L [11]. Eucalyp us globulus Labill, Thymus ulga is L, and
P ycho is e icilla a Duby we e he mos equen ly men ioned plan s agains Co id-19 in Alge ia [12], and Mo occo
[13]. A s udy in E hiopia ound ha 111 medicinal plan s ha a e used locally o he ea men o i al diseases [14]
could be used as an al e na i e o Co id-19. In addi ion, a li e a u e e iew iden i ied 17 plan s wi h po en ial an i-
Co id-19 ac i i y in Nige ian adi ional medicine [15].
Among all a ailable da a on an i-COVID-19 phy o he apy, he plan s used in he Chinese pha macopoeia appea o be
he mos ex ensi ely s udied, pa icula ly ega ding hei clinical ou comes. Gi en he ele ance o in eg a ing
phy o he apy in o local pha macopoeias, i seems app op ia e o d aw inspi a ion om he model o T adi ional
Chinese Medicine. Consequen ly, conduc ing a bibliog aphic e iew o s udies published in 2020 on medicinal plan s
used in China o COVID-19 ea men was deemed necessa y.
2. Me hodology
This s udy was conduc ed be ween Janua y 2020 and Feb ua y 2021 and is a e ospec i e, desc ip i e, c oss-sec ional
analysis. The bibliog aphic e iew was made possible h ough he ollowing scien i ic da abases: PubMed, ScienceDi ec
and Google Schola . The documen s selec ed o he e iew we e e ie ed using he ollowing keywo ds: Medicinal
plan , COVID-19, T adi ional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The a icles ob ained we e hen examined a h ee le els: i le,
abs ac and ull ex . Some ex s we e excluded due o language accessibili y cons ain s i hey we e w i en in an
inaccessible language. The PRISMA diag am below illus a es he documen selec ion p ocess (Figu e 1).
The in en o ied plan species we e s anda dized using he ollowing da abases: Plan s o he Wo ld Online (h ps://powo.science.kew.o g/) and
The Wo ld Flo a Online (h p://www.wo ld lo aonline). The Pinyin names we e o ma ed in acco dance wi h he 2016 edi ion o he Chinese
Pha macopoeia.
Figu e 1 PRISMA diag ams o selec ing bibliog aphic e iew documen s.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
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3. Resul s and Discussion
3.1. Recipes and he bs used o ea co id-19 in TCM.
Table 1 Recipes used in China o ea Co id-19 and indica ions.
NPM
Bo anical names o plan s ( amilies) [nom manda in]
(Manda in name)
ICOVID-19
Sou ce
Baihe
Gujin
Tang
Angelica sinensis (Oli .) Diels (Apiaceae) [Dang Gui]
F i illa iae Thunbe gii Miq. (Liliaceae) [Zhe Bei Mu]
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Gan Cao]
Lilium lanci olium Thunb. (Liliaceae) [Bai He]
Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ke -Gawl. (Aspa agaceae) [Mai Men
Dong]
Paeonia lac i lo a Pall. (Paeoniaceae) [Bai Shao Yao]
Pla ycodon g andi lo us (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae) [Jié Gěng]
Rehmannia glu inosa (Gae n.) DC. (O obanchaceae) [Di Huang]
Rehmannia glu inosa Libosch. (O obanchaceae) [Shu Di Huang]
Sc ophula ia ningpoensis Hemsl. (Sc ophula iaceae) [Xuan Shen]
APS
An i-cance d ugs
PSA
MPOC
[16–18]
Gan Cao
Gan Jiang
Tang
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Gan Cao]
Zingibe o icinalis Roscoe (Zingibe aceae) [Gan Jiang]
APS
Lung wash
FPA
[18,19]
Ma Xin
Shigan
Tang
Ephed a Sinica S ap (Ephed aceae) [Ma Huang]
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Gan Cao]
P unus dulcis [Mill.] D. A. Webb. (Rosaceae) [Xing Ren]
APS
[16]
Qing ei
Touxie u
zheng
Coix lac ymajobi a . ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) S ap
C yp o ympana pus ula a Fab icius
Cu cuma longa L.
Ephed a sinica S ap
Fo sy hia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch. ex DC.Gypsum Fib osum
Lonice a japonica Thunb.
Paeonia lac i lo a Pall.
Ph agmi es aus alis (Ca .) T in. ex S eud
P unus a meniaca L
Pseudos ella ia he e ophylla (Miq.) Pax
Reynou ia japonica Hou
Scu ella iae adix [Huangqin]
Mode a e and
se e e lung
disease
[20–22]
Qing ei
Paidu
Agas ache ugosa Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Kun ze (Lamiaceae) [Huo
Xiang]
Alisma o ien alis (Sam.) Juzep. (Alisma aceae) [Ze Xie]
Asa um sieboldii Miq. (A is olochiaceae ) [Xi Xin]
As e a a icus L. . (Composi ae). [Zi Wan]
A ac ylodis mac ocephala Koidz (As e aceae) [Bai Zhu]
Bupleu um chinense DC. (Apiaceae) [Chai Hu]
Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.P esl (Lau aceae) [Gui Zhi]
APM and APS
Co id-19
P e en ion
[22–24]
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
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NPM
Bo anical names o plan s ( amilies) [nom manda in]
(Manda in name)
ICOVID-19
Sou ce
Ci us × au an ium L. (Ru aceae) [Zhi Shi]
Diosco ea opposi a Thunb. (Diosco eaceae) [Shan Yao]
Dipsacus ine mis Wall. (Cap i oliaceae) [Huang Qin]
Ephed a Sinica S ap (Ephed aceae) [Ma Huang]
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Zhi Gan Cao]
Gypsum ib osum L [Sheng Shi Gao]
I is domes ica (L.) Goldbla & Mabb.( I idaceae) [She Gan]
Pe ica pium ci i e icula a Vi ide (Ru aceae) [Chen Pi]
Pinellia e na a (Thub.) B ei . (A aceae) [Jiang Ban Xia]
Polypo us umbella us (Pe s.) F . (Polypo aceae) [Zhu Ling]
P unus dulcis [Mill.] D. A. Webb. (Rosaceae) [Xing Ren]
Tussilago a a a L. (As e aceae) [Kuan Dong Hua]
Wol ipo ia ex ensa (Peck) (Polypo aceae) [Fu Ling]
Zingibe is Recens Willd. Rosc (Zingibe aceae)[Sheng Jiang]
Sang Ju
Yin
Ch ysan hemum × mo i olium (Rama .) Hemsl. (As e aceae) [Ju Hua]
Fo sy hia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Oleaceae) [Pin Yin]
Mo us alba L (Mo aceae) [Sang Ye]
P unus amygdalus Ba sch (Rosaceae) [Xing Ren]
APM
Acu e b onchi is,
cough, mild e e
[16,25,26]
Shuang
Huang
Lian
Fo sy hia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Oleaceae) [Pin Yin]
Lonice a japonica Thunb. (Cap i oliaceae) [Jin Yin Hua]
Scu ella ia baicalensis Geo gi [Lamiaceae] [Huang Qin]
APA
[27,28]
Yin Qiao
San
A c ii uc us L (as é aceae) [Niu Bang Zi]
F uc us o sy hiae (Thunb.) Vahl Oleaceae [Lian Qiao]
Glycine max (L.) Me . (Fabaceae) [Dan Dou Chi]
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Jing Jie]
Lonice ae los DC. (Cap i oliaceae) [Jin Yin Hua]
Lopha he um g acile B ongn. (Poaceae) [Dan Zhu Ye]
Men ha haplocalycis B iq (Labia ae) [Bo he]
Pla ycodon G andi lo um (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae) [Jie Geng]
Rhizoma Ph agmi is T in. (Poaceae) [Lu Gen]
APM
Immunomodula o
An i i al ac i i y
An ipy e ic
[16,29–
31]
Yu Ping
Feng San
As agalus mongholicus Bunge (Fabaceae) [Huang Qi]
A ac ylodes mac ocephala Koidz. (As e aceae) [Bai Zhu]
Saposhniko ia di a ica a (Tu cz. ex Ledeb.) Schischk. (Apiaceae)
[Fang Feng]
PAP
Respi a o y ac
in ec ions,
b onchi is
Immunode iciency
Immunomodula o
An i i al ac i i y
[26,32,33]
Legend, ICOVID-19: ; indica ion in Co id-19 diso de s; APF: acu e pulmona y ib osis; COPD: ch onic obs uc i e pulmona y disease; APS: ad anced
s age pulmona y disease; APA: acu e pulmona y disease; APM : medium lung disease co -19; Almond= almond ee, Lico ice= gan cao, Whi e peony:
bai shao yao; lily:Bai He, zhi gan Cao : Gan Cao, Xing en : Ku xing en (Semen A meniacae Ama um) ; Cinnamomi Cassiae = Ramulus Cinnamomi,
Polypo us Scle o ium= Polypo us Umbella us ; Belamcanda chinensis (L. )= I is domes ica (L.) Goldbla & Mabb. Scu ella ia adix= Scu ella ia
baicalensis Geo gi [Lamiaceae], As agalus mongholicus Bunge [Fabaceae] = As agalus memb anaceus, Saposhniko ia di a ica a (Tu cz. ex Ledeb.)
Schischk. [Apiaceae] = Saposhniko ia di a ica a Tu cz, Sang Ye= Mulbe y, P unus amygdalus Ba sch [Rosaceae] = P unus dulcis, F uc us o sy hiae=
Fo sy hia suspensa (Thunb. ) Vahl [Oleaceae], Radix pla ycodi = Pla ycodon G andi lo um, Diosco ea japonica Thunb= Diosco eae Rhizoma =
Diosco ea opposi a Thunb.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
1644
Among he plan s epo edly used in TCM, 9 an i-co id-19 o mulas we e lis ed, each con aining a leas wo plan s,
making a o al o 45 plan s in en o ied in his li e a u e e iew. The Qing ei Paidu o mula is he mos complex wi h 21
plan s (Table 1).
O he 9 ecipes iden i ied in his li e a u e e iew, wo a e ound in he Chinese pha macopoeia, Sang Ju Yin and Yu
Ping Feng San, whe e hey a e used in he managemen o espi a o y ailmen s caused by bad wind (Table1), and h ee
ha e no p e ious applica ion (Ma Xin Shigan Tang, Qing ei Touxie u zheng, and Qing ei Paidu), sugges ing ha hey
we e p epa ed p ima ily o co id-19. The composi ion o one ecipe, Qing ei Touxie u zheng, is no epo ed in any
o he accessible sou ce. Acco ding o a epo by he Na ional Adminis a ion o T adi ional Chinese Medicine, Qing ei
Paidu showed he mos p omising clinical esul s, wi h 90% o cases showing emission o signs o in ec ion [24].
Howe e , some scien is s exp ess ese a ions abou he e icacy o hese ecipes, c i icizing he me hodological
app oaches used o epo he esul s [34].
I is ne e heless c ucial o highligh he isks associa ed wi h he concu en use o mul iple medicinal plan s in
adi ional Chinese medicine o mula ions o COVID-19. Such combina ions pose a signi ican dange o accumula ing
he oxic e ec s inhe en o each indi idual plan , ul ima ely comp omising he pa ien 's heal h. The e o e, conduc ing
comp ehensi e clinical s udies o assess he speci ic e icacy o each plan would be ad isable. This app oach would
help minimize he isk o exposu e o i al o gans o po en ially ha m ul subs ances and ensu e a sa e and mo e
e ec i e he apeu ic s a egy.
These 45 plan s belong o 27 amilies, domina ed by he As e aceae wi h 4 occu ences (Figu e 2). Glycy hiza u alensis
Fisch (Fabaceae) [Jing Jie o (Zhi) Gan Cao], wi h 4 occu ences, is he mos widely used plan . I is ollowed by 4 o he s,
each wi h 2 hi s: A ac ylodis mac ocephala Koidz (As e aceae) [Bai Zhu], Fo sy hia suspense (Thumb.) Vahl [Pin Yin],
Pla ycodon g andi lo us (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae) [Jié Gěng] and P unus dulcis [Mill.] D. A. Webb. (Rosaceae) [Xing
Ren].
Figu e 2 Bo anical amilies wi h a leas wo species.
3.2. Pha macological ac i i ies ela ed o co id-19 o 45 lis ed plan s.
The 45 plan s iden i ied in his s udy showed 14 ac i i ies po en ially in ol ed in he managemen o co id-19
symp oms, o which an i-in lamma o y (71%), an ioxidan (55.6%), and immunomodula o y (33.3%) ac i i ies we e
he mos equen ly epo ed (Figu e 3).
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
1645
Figu e 3 Dis ibu ion o he plan s (n = 45) acco ding o hei biological ac i i y.
All 45 plan s display a leas wo o he 14 ac i i ies indi ec ly in ol ed in he managemen o co id-19, and Glycy hiza
u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Jing Jie o (Zhi) Gan Cao] has he highes numbe o hese ac i i ies, wi h 6 pha macological
ac i i ies epo ed (Table 2).
Table 2 Pha macological p ope ies ha jus i y he choice o plan s in an i-co id-19 o mulas.
Species
Indica ion in a co id-19 sign
Sou ce
Agas ache ugosa Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Kun ze (Lamiaceae)
[Huo Xiang]
An i i al as HIV-1 p o ease inhibi o
Pulmona y an i-in lamma o y
An imic obial
Immunomodula o
[35,36]
[37]
[38]
[39]
Alisma o ien alis (Sam.) Juzep. (Alisma aceae) [Ze Xie]
An i-in lamma o y & an ioxidan
An i i al inhibi o o pico ma i us
P omo es u ina y exc e ion
[40,41]
[42]
[43,44]
Angelica sinensis (Oli .) Diels (Apiaceae) [Dang Gui]
Immunomodula o , an i-in lamma o y and
an ioxidan
[45,46]
A c ii uc us L (as é aceae) [Niu Bang Zi]
An i-in lamma o y o h oa and o he
espi a o y condi ions
[47,48]
Asa um sieboldii Miq. (A is olochiaceae) [Xi Xin]
Cough supp essan
[49,50]
As e a a icus L. . (Composi ae). [Zi Wan]
An i-lung lesions in mu ine model
An i-in lamma o y
[51,52]
[53,54]
As agalus mongholicus Bunge (Fabaceae) [Huang Qi]
Agains espi a o y ailmen s
[55,56]
A ac ylodes mac ocephala Koidz. (As e aceae) [Bai
Zhu]x2
An iin lamma o y, an ioxydan
[57–59]
Bupleu um chinense DC. (Apiaceae) [Chai Hu]
Immunomodula o
P e en i e e ec on nasal in lamma ion
[60,61]
[62,63]
Ch ysan hemum × mo i olium (Rama .) Hemsl.
(As e aceae) [Ju Hua]
An ibac e ial ac i i y
An i-in lamma o y, an ioxidan
[64]
[65]
Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.P esl (Lau aceae) [Gui Zhi]
An i-in lamma o y, analgesic, an ibac e ial
and an i i al
immunos imulan
[66,67]
[68]
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
1646
Species
Indica ion in a co id-19 sign
Sou ce
Ci us × au an ium L. (Ru aceae) [Zhi Shi]
An i-in lamma o y, an ioxidan ,
immunomodula o
[69,70]
Diosco ea opposi a Thunb. (Diosco eaceae) [Shan Yao]
Immunomodula o ,
an ioxidan
[71]
[72]
Dipsacus ine mis Wall. (Cap i oliaceae) [Huang Qin]
Modula o o in lamma ion
[73]
Ephed a Sinica S ap (Ephed aceae) [Ma Huang]x2
An i-in lamma o y
[74]
Fo sy hia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Oleaceae) [Pin Yin]x2
An i-in lamma o y, an ioxidan , an ibac e ial,
an i i al
[75]
F i illa iae hunbe gii Miq. (Liliaceae) [Zhe Bei Mu]
An ioxidan , an i-in lamma o y, cough
supp essan
[76]
F uc us o sy hiae (Thunb.) Vahl Oleaceae [Lian Qiao]
Ac i i y agains i al pneumonia
An i-in lamma o y
[77]
[78]
Glycine max (L.) Me . (Fabaceae) [Dan Dou Chi]
An ioxidan , an imic obial
[79]
Glycy hiza u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) [Jing Jie ou (Zhi)
Gan Cao]x4
An i-in lamma o y
Angio ensinogen inhibi o
Immunos imulan , an imic obial
Lung de oxi ica ion, diu e ic
[80]
[81]
[82]
[83]
Gypsum ib osum L [Sheng Shi Gao]
Pu i ying he body
[84]
I is domes ica (L.) Goldbla & Mabb.( I idaceae) [She
Gan]
An i-in lamma o y, an ioxidan
[85]
Lilium lanci olium Thunb. (Liliaceae) [Bai He]
Immunomodula o
[86]
Lonice a japonica Thunb. (Cap i oliaceae) [Jin Yin Hua]
An ioxidan
[87]
Lonice ae los DC. (Cap i oliaceae) [Jin Yin Hua]
An i-in lamma o y, an i-in ec ious
[88]
Lopha he um g acile B ongn. (Poaceae) [Dan Zhu Ye]
Pulmona y an i i al
Immunomodula o
[88]
[89,90]
Men ha haplocalycis B iq (Labia ae) [Bo he]
An ioxidan
An i i al
[91]
[92]
Mo us alba L (Mo aceae) [Sang Ye]
An ioxidan , an i-in lamma o y,
an imic obial, immunomodula o
[93,94]
Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ke -Gawl.
(Aspa agaceae) [Mai Men Dong]
An i-in lamma o y, an ioxidan ,
an imic obial, immunomodula o
[95]
Paeonia lac i lo a Pall. (Paeoniaceae) [Bai Shao Yao]
An ioxidan , an i i al, an i-in lamma o y
an imic obial
[96]
Pe ica pium ci i e icula a Vi ide (Ru aceae) [Chen Pi]
An ioxidan
An i- espi a o y in ec ions
[97]
Pinellia e na a (Thub.) B ei . (A aceae) [Jiang Ban Xia]
An ioxidan
Inhibi s mucus sec e ion and in lamma ion
[98]
[99,100]
Pla ycodon g andi lo us (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae)
[Jié Gěng]x2
An ioxidan , an i-in lamma o y, cough
supp essan
An iapop o ic
[101]
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
1647
Species
Indica ion in a co id-19 sign
Sou ce
Polypo us umbella us (Pe s.) F . (Polypo aceae) [Zhu
Ling]
An ioxidan , immunomodula o
[102]
P unus amygdalus Ba sch (Rosaceae) [Xing Ren]
An ioxidan , immunomodula o
[103]
P unus dulcis [Mill.] D. A. Webb. (Rosaceae) [Xing Ren]x2
An imic obial
An ioxidan
[104]
Rehmannia glu inosa (Gae n.) DC. (O obanchaceae) [Shu
Di Huang]
An ioxidan , immunomodula o
[105]
Rehmannia japonica (Thunb.) Makino ex T.Yamaz.
(O obanchaceae) [Sheng Di Huang]
An ioxidan
[106]
Ph agmi is hizoma T in. (Poaceae) [Lu Gen]
An i-in lamma o y
Immunomodula o
[107]
Saposhniko ia di a ica a (Tu cz. ex Ledeb.) Schischk.
(Apiaceae) [Fang Feng]
An i-in lamma o y, analgesic, an ioxidan ,
immunomodula o
[108]
Sc ophula ia ningpoensis Hemsl. (Sc ophula iaceae)
[Xuan Shen]
An i-in lamma o y
[109]
Scu ella ia baicalensis Geo gi [Lamiaceae] [Huang Qin]
An i-in lamma o y, an i-pulmona y lesions
[110]
Tussilago a a a L. (As e aceae) [Kuan Dong Hua]
An ioxidan
An i-in lamma o y, cough supp essan
[111]
Wol ipo ia ex ensa (Peck) (Polypo aceae) [Fu Ling]
An ioxidan
[112]
Zingibe o icinalis Roscoe (Zingibe aceae) [Gan Jiang]
An ioxidan and an i-in lamma o y
an i i al
[113]
Zingibe is Recens Willd. Rosc (Zingibe aceae) [Sheng
Jiang]
An i-in lamma o y
[114]
Se e al ac o s may explain he selec ion o plan s wi h an i-in lamma o y, an ioxidan , and immunomodula o y
p ope ies in he managemen o COVID-19 in adi ional Chinese medicine. Indeed, du ing COVID-19 in ec ion, pa ien s
ha e exhibi ed ma kedly exace ba ed oxida i e s ess, pa ly due o he o e p oduc ion o cy okines, as obse ed in
mos espi a o y diseases [115]. This oxida i e s ess may con ibu e o wo sening he clinical condi ion o pa ien s.
The adminis a ion o high doses o an ioxidan s, such as i amin C, has been sugges ed as a possible means o mi iga e
his e ec [116,117]. The e o e, i is unde s andable ha many o he plan s used agains COVID-19, including mo e
han hal o he species examined in his s udy, possess an ioxidan po en ial.
Mo eo e , i has been epo ed ha pa hogenic T lymphocy es and in lamma o y monocy es con ibu e o an
in lamma o y s o m in pa ien s wi h se e e o ms o COVID-19[118]. Consequen ly, i has been sugges ed ha an i i als
should be combined wi h an i-in lamma o y agen s—excluding non-s e oidal an i-in lamma o y d ugs: NSAIDs [119]—
o he managemen o his disease [120]. This app oach may explain he p edominan p esence o an i-in lamma o y
plan s in he o mula ions documen ed in his s udy.
Fu he mo e, COVID-19, like o he co ona i us-induced diseases, is known o igge an inc ease in ce ain T-helpe 1
(Th1) cells as well as in lamma o y cy okines and chemokines, including in e leukins IL-1 and IL-6, CCL2 p o ein, and
CXCL10 p o ein. In he absence o app o ed an i i al ea men s o an e ec i e accine, subs ances wi h
immunomodula o y p ope ies may help inhibi in lamma o y cy okines and Th1 cells, o al e na i ely p omo e an an i-
in lamma o y and/o Th2 immune esponse, he eby mi iga ing symp oms and disease se e i y [121]. Consequen ly,
he immunomodula o y plan s iden i ied in his s udy (Figu e 2) could ep esen a aluable asse in managing he
COVID-19 pandemic.
Few o he plan species in en o ied in his s udy a e epo ed in he li e a u e as ha ing an i i al ac i i y (Figu e 2),
and none ha e demons a ed unequi ocal in i o e icacy agains COVID-19 [34]. Howe e , he a ious documen ed
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 1640-1654
1648
biological p ope ies o each species, as iden i ied in his esea ch, sugges ha hese plan s may play a ole in he
symp oma ic managemen o COVID-19 and con ibu e o he clinical s abiliza ion o co-in ec ed pa ien s.
Da a on he oxici y o hese plan s emain limi ed; howe e , a Chinese epo s a es ha hese species a e
ecommended, as hey ha e no been associa ed wi h oxic mani es a ions du ing p e ious use [122]. Mo eo e , mos
o hese plan s exhibi hepa op o ec i e p ope ies. Al hough hese ea men s ha e been success ully employed in he
managemen o COVID-19 in China, i emains essen ial o conduc comp ehensi e oxicological s udies o assess hei
limi a ions and de e mine op imal condi ions o hei use.
4. Conclusion
Va ious plan species ha e been used in combina ion o he managemen o COVID-19 in ec ion in China. Among hem,
he mos complex o mula ion, consis ing o 21 species and conside ed he mos e ec i e, is Qing ei Paidu. Glycy hiza
u alensis Fisch (Fabaceae) appea s o be he mos equen ly u ilized species, exhibi ing he highes equency o
pha macological ac i i ies ela ed o espi a o y condi ions. These plan s wa an u he in es iga ion h ough clinical
ials o assess hei speci ic con ibu ion o COVID-19 ea men . Thei use could also se e as inspi a ion o he
pha macopoeias o o he coun ies, encou aging he de elopmen o he apeu ic o mula ions aimed a comba ing his
eme ging pandemic. Thus, his s udy highligh s he po en ial o T adi ional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in de eloping an i-
COVID-19 ea men s ha could be u ilized in a ious egions wo ldwide.
Compliance wi h e hical s anda ds
Disclosu e o con lic o in e es
No con lic o in e es o be disclosed.
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