How to prevent coronavirus infection?

Tiejun Tang

We are all aware of the new Coronavirus spreading from Wuhan across China and beyond.. This disease is very similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic of 2003 which originated in China and spread to 37 countries with 8098 cases and 774 fatalities. The pathogens are from a different subtype of coronavirus; Its incubation period is longer than SARS and its symptoms are slightly different.

SARS initially spread from Guangzhou in Southern China, and I was working in that city when SARS started to spread. Our hospital is one of the leading hospitals in Guangzhou, so we accepted and treated many patients. When patients were diagnosed with SARS they were isolated and treated with modern medicine. My PhD tutor, Professor Deng Tietao suggested to central government to use traditional Chinese medicine and after the Chinese herbal medicine was involved the mortality rate significantly reduced.

Chinese herbal medicine was widely used to prevent SARS infection. Many people took herbal decoction of Banlangen (Radix isatidis) which has proven to have an antiviral function.^’[1] During the epidemic period of SARS in Hong Kong there were 2,601 medical staff administered with Kandu Bufei  Decoction．It was confirmed that 1,063 people had taken it for a successive two weeks according to the request and had returned the questionnaire monitoring effectiveness They were regarded as the treatment group．The control group consisted of 15,374 subjects who didn’t take Chinese herbal medicine．Results: No one in the herbal treatment group contracted the SARS infection while in the control group, 64(0.4%) were infected.^[2]

Extensive pharmacological research has shown that many Chinese herbal medicines have very good antiviral effects in their different ways.^[3] Chinese herbal medicine could prevent the occurrence of coronavirus infection. It is possibly improving symptoms through enhancing the immunity of body. The ingredients of Kandu Bufei Decoction were based on the classical formula of Yupingfeng San, which is recorded from Yuan Dynasty in 1345 AD. Yupingfeng in Chinese means jade screen.  It means that like a jade screen this medicine can protect people from wind evils.  Modern research has shown that a modified Yupingfeng San formula can inhibit respiratory viral infections in vitro and in vivo.[4]

Coronavirus infection is preventable. Wearing a mask, washing hands and drinking plenty of water can help to prevent infection but the best way to prevent coronavirus infection is to take some Chinese herbal decoction. You can access your local Chinese herb clinic to get your jade screen. It will help you to stay safe from the risk of coronavirus.

Reference:

1. Zhou W Research progress of Chinese herbal medicineRadix isatidis (banlangen).
      Am J Chin Med. 2013;41(4):743-64.

2. Liu Dehui. Clinical Observation on the Preventive Effect of KangduBufei Decoction on AcuteSevere Respiratory Syndrome. Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine. 2004; 24(8): 685-688.

3.  Jun Huang. Antiviral Herbs -Present and Future. Infectious Disorders – Drug Targets, 2014, 14, 61-73.

4. Liu Q. Jiawei-Yupingfeng-Tang, a Chinese herbal formula, inhibits respiratory viral infections in vitro and in vivo. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013; 150(2):521-8.