The therapeutic effects of ginger and coneflower on suspicious COVID-19 outpatients
The pneumonia caused by COVID-19 has become a global highly infectious disease so that the virus is a serious threat to public health [1]. The World Health Organization declared the wide spread of the disease as a public health emergency. The virus responsible for the 2019-2020 pandemic is highly similar to SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). This contagious disease spreads through respiratory droplets and the common clinical symptoms are fever, dry cough and tightness of breath that may lead to pneumonia, ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), kidney failure, and multiple organ failure. Aged individuals with background problems (e.g. asthma, diabetes, and heart failure) and weak immunity system are at more risk of infection by the virus [2-4].
Fighting the virus as an international emergency is seriously pursued in all countries. There is a bitter fight between the virus and human intelligence and brain power and winning this fight, along with taking protective and personal hygiene measures, entails taking proper control and timely therapeutic measures [5]. There is no specific anti-virus medicine for coronavirus and therapeutic cares including preserving vital signs, oxygen and blood pressure regulation, and alleviating the symptoms (secondary infections or organ failure) are the major approaches to treat the disease [6].
Herbal medicines, today, are considered as a way for treatment and preservation of health. Easy access and low prices of these medicines have added to the popularity of these medicines mostly in the developing countries. According to the national administration of traditional Chinese medicine (NATCM), 90% of COVID-19 patients who received Qing Fei Pai Du Tang herbal medicine (a mixture of ginger, belamcanda, wild yam, liquorice, etc.) showed positive responses to the treatment [7].
Among herbal medicines, coneflower has been used for centuries for common cold, cough, bronchitis, upper respiratory system infection, and other inflammations. Studies have shown that coneflower and its active compounds affect phagocyte immune system. Still, they do not affect special immune system. The medicine is used for viral, bacteria, radiation, and fungous infections. In addition, it is used as an anti-inflammatory [8]. Coneflower affects the immunity system from several aspects including increasing the count of white blood cells in the blood circulation system. Coneflower also improves phagocyte, improves lymphocytes activities, stimulates cytokine generation, and alleviates apoptosis. It stimulates macrophage activity and discharge of necrosis factors (TNF), interleukin 1, interleukin 6, and interferon in vitro [9]. There are also reports of antivirus activity against influenza, herpes, and poliovirus. Phenol compound in coneflower also demonstrates antioxidant activities [10].
Ginger is a key spice and an herbal medicine that is widely used. Suppressing synthesis of some of pre-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-8 and necrosis factor of alpha tumor (TNFα) are some of the effects of ginger. It also suppresses responses derived from T-helper1 activity [11].
A study showed that a mixture containing hollyhock and ginger alleviated paroxysmal coughing, and the chest pain caused by thoracic in patients [12]. Moreover, studies have shown that ginger has anti-inflammatory effects and it is used for the treatment of arthritis rheumatoid and osteoarthritis [13, 14]. It was shown in [15] that ginger was effective in alleviating asthma symptoms, although, it did not change the disease stage or spirometeric indices.
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