Traditional Chinese Medicine plays a big role in the pandemic battle

As the situation of battling with COVID-19 in China has gradually gotten better, China turns to offer support to other countries in need after receiving friendly assistance from countries. An expert from The World Health Organization regards that Europe, which is currently suffering from the novel coronavirus outbreak, should learn from China’s experience in epidemic control. Furthermore, Europe and China had better cooperate together and communicate on epidemic prevention and treatment.

TCM medicines have been playing an essential role in treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus since 3 months ago. In fact, those Chinese wise ancestors have left some classic TCM prescriptions for further generations. Besides, effective and efficient treatment needs scientific and technological backup. In this pandemic battle, so many experts at home and abroad dedicated themselves to scientific research. By absorbing the quintessence from ancient prescriptions, they have saved thousands of infected people.

Meanwhile, in the guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of the novel coronavirus released by the National Health Commission, TCM medicines are also used in treating COVID-19.

Classical prescriptions par excellence helps TCM takes advantages than Western Medicine in 3 aspects

To this, Professor Huang Huang, the dean of the NJUCM International Jingfang Institution, express that TCM medicines take advantages than Western Medicine in 3 aspects:

TCM medicines get involved in treatment so that they prevent patients condition from deteriorating into death.

TCM medicines is an affordable option because of inexpensive medical expense and economical medical measures.

The psychological effects of taking TCM medicines make patients feel relief and stop panic and anxiety.

Although some terms like “chill and fever, toxic dampness” have ambiguous semantics in TCM, it makes no impact on experts in TCM when they prescribe the right medicine treating the symptoms of diseases. For example, the Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction, recommended by the National Administration of TCM, is effective after popularized nationwide.

The ancient climate and pathogens have differed nowadays, but the way the human body responds in disease has not changed. TCM looks at disease as a holistic issue and addresses the whole person. Its therapies focus on restoring the normal interaction between human and human nature, so the ancient prescriptions can also cure the diseases nowadays as long as the prescriptions correspond. Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction is the best empirical evidence.

Ginseng antiphlogistic powder is recognized as the precaution for the novel coronavirus

During the epidemic, Professor Huang found that Ginseng antiphlogistic powder was worthy of attention in the process of finding suitable formulas for massive usage through the practical experience of TCM.

According to public information, Ginseng antiphlogistic powder was initially named Baidu Formula and first recorded in the book “Leizheng Huoren Script” by Zhu Gong, a famous doctor in Northern Song Dynasty. Later, The feudal pharmacy officials in Song Dynasty embodied this formula in Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang.

In his daily diagnoses, Professor Huang used Ginseng antiphlogistic powder to treat colds, dermatitis and eczema. He considered that Ginseng antiphlogistic powder improves immunologic adjustment, and its gentle efficacy propels widely spread without toxic side-effect. On this account, Professor Huang recommends Ginseng antiphlogistic powder as a prophylactic prescription for the novel coronavirus appropriate for the initial group treatment of mild cases.

Ginseng antiphlogistic powder is suitable for treating flu

In addition to healing cold and preventing COVID-19, Ginseng antiphlogistic powder has an essential effect in the influenza outbreak seasons.

Influenza is the most life-threatening infectious disease in modern history. The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. This terrible catastrophe sustained almost 18 months and caused at least 100 million people worldwide died.

Influenza can be extremely harmful to the elderly, children and some patients whose immunity is vulnerable. What’s more, it can cause various complications in severe cases. For patients with vulnerable immunity, once complications have occurred after contracting flu, then the complications will be a key factor in the patients’ death.

China classifies influenza as category C infectious disease, on the grounds of its rapid spread speed and strong infectiousness. Once the flu breaks out, it's no less threatening than the novel coronavirus COVID-19. As it stands, a flu vaccine is the best measure to help protect against flu. However, the flu viruses mutate and spawn new type strains, which will diminish the possibility to develop the vaccine.

The vaccination is a national effort to combat influenza. As common people, we may also choose Ginseng antiphlogistic powder as a preventive treatment in spite of paying attention to personal hygiene and doing exercise. Many of the ingredients in this formula are suitable for group usage, such as Ginseng, Liquorice Root, Qianhu etc. Those ingredients are efficiently useful to strengthen the immune system.

Finished drug Ginseng antiphlogistic capsule is flu antiviral drugs readily available in China

It is reported that by following the formulation and preparation methods documented in the Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang, Joincare Pharmaceutical Group Industry has extracted the active ingredients in Ginseng Baidu Formula with modern science technology. And they developed Zheng Yuan Dan (Ginseng antiphlogistic capsule) in 1995. This development not only won the Third Prize of National Technological Progress in Chinese Medicine and the Second Prize of Provincial Technological Progress, but also obtained the certificate of registration of proprietary Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.

To the elderly, children and some patients whose immunity is vulnerable, Ginseng antiphlogistic capsule is one of the ideal medicines to prevent and cure flu or colds. Since the finished drug is on sale in our country, we could use Ginseng antiphlogistic capsule as readily available medicine for home remedies.

It’s never out of date for us to inherit TCM culture

In terms of those TCM medicines which has been instrumental in the pandemic battle, Professor Huang suggests that the government should amend the Law of the People's Republic of China on prevention and control of infectious diseases, adding some provisions on the participation of TCM in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

At the same time, Professor Huang is considering some proposals for relevant authorities in order to appeal to the government, requesting that TCM should not be forgotten after the epidemic. He agrees that Jingfang major should be concluded in national educational degree institutions and the content of Jingfang should be included in the China medical practitioner's qualification examination. Last but not least, the training of Jingfang should be integrated into the continuing education system for Chinese medicine.

In the prevention of this epidemic, most of the 10 kinds of TCM prescriptions that our country recommends are derived from the classical prescriptions par excellence. This phenomenon indicates that the classical prescriptions are the cornerstone of TCM clinical practice. Doctors who explore those classical prescriptions, developing and utilizing them again, are the inheritors of TCM culture.

All in all, it is not that profound TCM culture is inappropriate for today's society, but there are too few ways to pass it on. Whether it is the period of an epidemic or not, we should commence researching the ancient prescriptions and ancient medical techniques that are hidden in various regions. In conclusion, TCM culture needs to be passed down and known to the wider world.