Abstract
Chinese herbal formulas including the lung-cleaning and toxicity-excluding (LCTE) soup have played an important role in treating the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (caused by SARS-CoV-2) in China. Applying LCTE outside of China may prove challenging due to the unfamiliar rationale behind its application in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. To overcome this barrier, a biochemical understanding of the clinical effects of LCTE is needed. Here, we explore the chemical compounds present in the reported LCTE ingredients and the proteins targeted by these compounds via a network pharmacology analysis. Our results indicate that LCTE contains compounds with the potential to directly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and inflammation, and that the compound targets proteins highly related to COVID-19's main symptoms. We predict the general effect of LCTE is to affect the pathways involved in viral and other microbial infections, inflammation/cytokine response, and lung diseases. Our work provides a biochemical basis for using LCTE to treat COVID-19 and its main symptoms.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / analysis
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
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Antiviral Agents / chemistry
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Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
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Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
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Betacoronavirus / drug effects*
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COVID-19
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COVID-19 Drug Treatment
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Calcium Sulfate
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China / epidemiology
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Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
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Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
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Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
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Drug Delivery Systems
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal / chemistry
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use
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Gastrointestinal Tract / drug effects
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Humans
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional*
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Metabolic Networks and Pathways / drug effects
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Pandemics*
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Phytotherapy
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Plants, Medicinal / chemistry
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Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
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Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
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Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism
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Respiratory System / drug effects
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SARS-CoV-2
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Viral Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
Substances
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents
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Antiviral Agents
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal
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Viral Proteins
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qing fei pai du tang
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Calcium Sulfate