Review on the potential action mechanisms of Chinese medicines in treating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

• Published in: Pharmacological research 2020-08, Vol.158, p.104939-104939, Article 104939
• Main Authors: Huang, Yu-Feng, Bai, Chen, He, Fan, Xie, Ying, Zhou, Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3CL pro; ACE2; Action mechanism; Betacoronavirus - drug effects; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; COVID-19; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Humans; Models, Biological; Network pharmacology; Pandemics; Phytotherapy; Pneumonia, Viral - drug therapy; SARS-CoV-2; Traditional Chinese medicine
• ISSN: 1043-6618; 1096-1186
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104939

[Display omitted] The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared as a global pandemic, but specific medicines and vaccines are still being developed. In China, interventional therapies with traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 have achieved significant clinical efficacies, but the underlying pharmacological mechanisms are still unclear. This article reviewed the etiology of COVID-19 and clinical efficacy. Both network pharmacological study and literature search were used to demonstrate the possible action mechanisms of Chinese medicines in treating COVID-19. We found that Chinese medicines played the role of antivirus, anti-inflammation and immunoregulation, and target organs protection in the management of COVID-19 by multiple components acting on multiple targets at multiple pathways. AEC2 and 3CL protein could be the direct targets for inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, isorhamnetin, baicalein, naringenin, and wogonin could be the main active ingredients of Chinese medicines for the management of COVID-19 by targeting on AEC2 and 3CL protein and inhibiting inflammatory mediators, regulating immunity, and eliminating free radicals through COX-2, CASP3, IL-6, MAPK1, MAPK14, MAPK8, and REAL in the signaling pathways of IL-17, arachidonic acid, HIF-1, NF-κB, Ras, and TNF. This study may provide meaningful and useful information on further research to investigate the action mechanisms of Chinese medicines against SARS-CoV-2 and also provide a basis for sharing the “China scheme" for COVID-19 treatment.