Review on the potential action mechanisms of Chinese medicines in treating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Yu-Feng; Bai, Chen; He, Fan; Xie, Ying; Zhou, Hua
• Is Part Of: Pharmacological research. Volume 158(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Baicalein (PubChem CID: 5281605) -- Isorhamnetin (PubChem CID: 5281654) -- Kaempferol (PubChem CID: 5280863) -- Luteolin (PubChem CID: 5280445) -- Naringenin (PubChem CID: 932) -- Quercetin (PubChem CID: 5280343) -- Rutin (PubChem CID: 5280805) -- Ursolic acid (PubChem CID: 64945) -- Wogonin (PubChem CID: 5281703) -- β-Sitosterol (PubChem CID: 222284); SARS-CoV-2 -- COVID-19 -- Traditional Chinese medicine -- Network pharmacology -- Action mechanism -- ACE2 -- 3CL pro; Pharmacology -- Periodicals; Pharmacology -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Médicaments -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Pharmacologie -- Périodiques; 615.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104939
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1043-6618

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: 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.