Acute Respiratory Virus

Acute Respiratory Virus infections are common infections in young and old. Typically, they are seasonal and are more common in Winter and cold weather.

Influenza A (the most common subtype of influenza) is believed to cause around 3–5 million infections per year, and 250,000–500,000 deaths per year.

The importance of treating an acute Respiratory Virus is that they can often devlop into a bronchitis, a chest infection or pneumonia, especially in the young and elderly.

TCM views these types of Acute infections as caused by Wind with either “Heat” or “Cold”, and they are termed Feng Re (Wind-Heat) or Feng-Han (Wind-Cold), respectively.

Symptoms

Itchy throat, cough, fever, and body aches are common symptoms.
Heat-type: more sore throat, greater Fever, feeling of Heat, Cough with yellow phlegm, red face, red tongue with a yellow coating, and a fast Pulse.
Cold-type: excess clear sputum and phlegm, feels cold, lower Fever, Cough with white or clear Mucus, pale face, pale tongue with a thin white coat, slow or weak pulse.
If Wind is more predominant, there is body aches and pains, moving pain, itchy throat and sneezing.

Causes

All Traditions generally regard such acute Infections as a type of Toxin, often referred to as a Epidemic Toxin.
In addition, as stated above, TCM will view such acute attacks as caused by Wind, with either Heat or Cold. Thus, Wind is looked at as the “moving” influence that moves the pathogenic influence (virus) “into” the body. This can be rationalised today when we understand that such acute infections are airborne.

See also:

Acute, Epidemic and Infectious Diseases
A. Herbs to Clear the Exterior
3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS

Formulas

Special Formula

Research:

ANTI-INFLUENZA VIRUS:
–Identification of traditional medicinal plant extracts with novel anti-influenza activity.
–Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) and Natural Remedies for Treatment of the Common Cold and Flu.
–Anti-Influenza Activity of Medicinal Material Extracts from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
COVID:
–The Efficacy of Herbs as Complementary and Alternative Therapy in Recovery and Clinical Outcome Among People with COVID-19: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression
–Effects of Iranian herbal Zofa® syrup for the management of clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19: A randomized clinical trial
–The Efficacy of Herbs as Complementary and Alternative Therapy in Recovery and Clinical Outcome Among People with COVID-19: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression
–Herbal Treatment of COPD and Asthma According to Persian Medicine: a Review of Current Evidence
–Essential Oils and COVID-19
–Indian Medicinal Plants and Formulations and Their Potential Against COVID-19–Preclinical and Clinical Research
–Spices and herbs: Potential antiviral preventives and immunity boosters during COVID‐19
–An updated and comprehensive review of the antiviral potential of essential oils and their chemical constituents with special focus on their mechanism of action against various influenza and coronaviruses

INDIVIDUAL HERBS
–Antiviral activity of hydroalcoholic extract from Eupatorium perfoliatum L. against the attachment of influenza A virus.
–Antiviral Potential of Melissa officinalis L.: A Literature Review.
–Revisiting liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as anti-inflammatory, antivirals and immunomodulators: Potential pharmacological applications with mechanistic insight.
–In vitro anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 effect of Ephedra przewalskii Stapf extract.
–Withaferin A, a polyfunctional pharmacophore that includes covalent engagement of IPO5, is an inhibitor of influenza A replication.
–Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F) Wall ex Nees: Antiviral properties.
–Coptisine Inhibits Influenza Virus Replication by Upregulating p21.