The Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Jing Guan Fang for Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection: From Clinical Observation to Basic Research
Yueh‐Hsin Ping, Hsin Yeh, Li-Wei Chu, Zhi‐Hu Lin, Yin-Chieh Hsu, Lie‐Chwen Lin, Chung-Hua Hsu, Shu‐Ling Fu, Tung‐Yi Lin
Abstract
COVID-19 is a global epidemic. Developing adjuvant therapies which could prevent the virus from binding to cells may impair viral infection. This study produces a traditional Chinese medicine formula, Jing Guan Fang (JGF), based on ancient medical texts, and examines the efficacy and the mechanism by which JGF prevents viral infections. JGF reduces COVID-19 like symptoms. Functional studies show that JGF inhibits the formation of syncytium and reduces the formation of viral plaque. JGF is not toxic in vitro and in vivo . Mechanistically, JGF induces lysosomal-dependent ACE2 degradation and suppresses mRNA and the protein levels of TMPRSS2 in human lung WI-38 and MRC-5 cells. Mice that inhale JGF exhibit reduced ACE2 and TMPRSS2 protein levels in lung tissues. Together, these findings suggest that JGF may improve the COVID-19 like symptoms and inhibit viral infection. Moreover, JGF may be applicable as an adjuvant preventive strategy against SARS-CoV-2 infection in addition to the use of vaccines.