Insights & Discussion
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is regularly used in treating upper respiratory tract infections, particularly for patients (more female patients in database found) with mild symptoms, using commonly preferred prescriptions, i.e Yin Qian San & Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang.
In this study, data from the National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed with particular attention to the treatments used for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnoses codes for Taiwan in 2009, were used to identify these treatments. Techniques of data mining and association rules were deployed to examine co-prescriptions of TCM for patients with URTIs.
Discussion of the results shows that out of a sample of 472,005 patients who sought treatment for URTIs, approximately 10 percent were treated with TCM and among these, over three-fifths were female. A majority - 79 percent - presented with an acute common cold. The study also noted that certain prescriptions, namely Yin-Qiao-San and Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang, were most commonly combined for patients with URTIs. The insight showed that patients were more likely to request TCM treatment if their symptoms were mild and they were women. Chinese medicine doctors treating URTIs generally adhered to TCM theory.
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Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in relieving symptoms, shortening treatment time and reducing the development of severe viral pneumonia.
2020 Frontiers in Pharmacology Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Management of Viral Pneumonia Xi S, Li Y, Yue L, Gong Y, Qian L, Liang T, et al.
Review Article Common Cold Common Cold, Flu & Viral Infections
In the treatment of viral pneumonia through syndrome differentiation, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a variety of roles in inhibiting the proliferation, replication, adsorption and membrane penetration of the virus, promoting the expression of interferon in vivo, inhibiting inflammatory reaction, enhancing immunity, etc., which is one of the theoretical bases for the clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of viral pneumonia.
Traditional Chinese herbal medicine and compound medicinals are characterized by multi-component, multi-pathway and multi-pathway complex networks. Therefore, drug resistance is relatively rare in the clinical practice of TCM. Moreover, in the process of diagnosis and treatment of TCM, treatment based on differentiation of symptoms and signs, especially treatment based on classification of symptoms and signs, can best reflect the overall concept of TCM. TCM has precise therapeutic activity and less adverse reactions. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the competent therapeutic effects of TCM against viral pneumonia with a prominent safety profile.
Honey is more effective than usual care alternatives for improving upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, particularly cough frequency and cough severity.
2020 BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J
Systematic Review Antimicrobial Antimicrobial Resistance Cough
We identified 1345 unique records, and 14 studies were included. Overall risk of bias was moderate. Compared with usual care, honey improved combined symptom score, cough frequency. We combined two studies comparing honey with placebo for relieving combined symptoms.
Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. It provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics. Honey could help efforts to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance, but further high quality, placebo controlled trials are needed.
Honey can be used as an alternative to antibiotics by clinicians who wish to offer treatment for upper respiratory tract infections, which may help to combat antimicrobial resistance.
2020 BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J
Systematic Review Antimicrobial Antimicrobial Resistance Cough
Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are the most frequent reason for antibiotic prescription. Since the majority of URTIs are viral, antibiotic prescription is both ineffective and inappropriate. However, a lack of effective alternatives, as well as a desire to preserve the patient–doctor relationship, both contribute to antibiotic over prescription. Antibiotic overuse is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance, rated by the UK government as one of the top 10 risks facing Britain. Furthermore, drug resistant infections are associated with worse patient outcomes than antibiotic susceptible infections, underlining the impact of antimicrobial resistance on individual patients.
Moderate‐certainty evidence showed that honey probably reduces cough duration to a greater extent than salbutamol or placebo. Honey group participants were first to get total relief of cough compared to salbutamol or placebo.
2018 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Honey for acute cough in children Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM
Review Article Children's Health Honey URTI
Honey probably relieves cough symptoms to a greater extent than no treatment, diphenhydramine, and placebo, but may make little or no difference compared to dextromethorphan. Honey probably reduces cough duration better than placebo and salbutamol. There was no strong evidence for or against using honey. Most of the children received treatment for one night, which is a limitation to the results of this review. There was no difference in occurrence of adverse events between the honey and control arms.
Tea catechins, found in green tea, may reduce the rates of influenza infection and diminish certain cold symptoms.
2018 Molecules Effect of Tea Catechins on Influenza Infection and the Common Cold with a Focus on Epidemiological/Clinical Studies Furushima D, Ide K, Yamada H
Review Article Antiviral Common Cold Green Tea
The research methodology started with interpreting several experimental studies which reported that tea catechins can inhibit influenza viral adsorption and suppress replication and neuraminidase activity. These catechins were also found effective against some common cold viruses and helped to enhance immunity against such viral infections. Additionally, epidemiological studies conducted since the late 1990s were examined which suggested that regular consumption of green tea may decrease influenza infection rates and some cold symptoms, and gargling with tea catechin could potentially protect against the development of influenza infection.
For the discussion of results, the studies collectively showed that tea catechins have potential antiviral activity against influenza and some cold viruses. Although clinical evidence supporting these effects remained unconclusive, the review showed promising trends. The consumption of green tea and gargling with tea catechins could lead to potentially decreased rates of influenza infection and lessened cold symptoms according to the analyzed epidemiological studies.
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