SHIJIAZHUANG, China,
Feb. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --
Recently, Prof. Caisheng Wu and Prof. Yifeng Chai from the School of Pharmacy,
Xiamen University have made new
progress in the study of the pharmacologically active ingredients
and mechanism of Lianhua Qingwen Capsules, developed and
produced by Yiling Pharmaceutical, in the prevention and treatment
of COVID-19. The study result, "Screening of the Anti-COVID-19
Pharmacological Active Ingredients of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Lianhua Qingwen Capsules Based on Human Exposure and ACE2
Biochromatography", was published in the top journal of
pharmacology, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B. This is the
latest evidence of the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 by the
Chinese medicine Lianhua
Qingwen.
This study was based on HRMS and intelligent non-targeted data
mining techniques, and comprehensively analyzed the components of
Lianhua Qingwen Capsules in human plasma and urine after multiple
administrations, synthesized a novel ACE2 biochromatographic
stationary phase, and screened the potential ACE2-targeted
components of Lianhua Qingwen Capsules extracts and human urine
samples. The experimental results showed that 85 relevant
components of Lianhua Qingwen were
successfully identified in human after multiple administrations,
and a small number of components were selected to verify the ACE2
binding ability by SPR analysis. The components, Amygdalin,
Prunasin, Glycyrrhizic Acid, Forsythoside A, Forsythoside I, Rhein,
and Aloe-emodin, all showed binding affinity to ACE2. It should be
noted that these components not only showed good affinity to ACE2,
but also could effectively bind to the contact surface of ACE2 and
S protein complex as confirmed by computer-aided docking results.
These ACE2-binding components may inhibit the Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by effectively
affecting the binding between ACE2 and S protein, providing an
experimental basis for the prevention and treatment of Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) with Lianhua Qingwen Capsules.
Lianhua Qingwen Capsules is an innovative Chinese medicine
developed and produced by Yiling Pharmaceutical, which is mainly
used for the treatment of cold, flu and other diseases. Since the
outbreak of COVID-19, Lianhua Qingwen Capsules have been
recommended by the official Chinese "Diagnosis and Treatment
Protocol for COVID-19" (Trial 4th-8th Edition) and used in
designated admission hospitals for COVID-19 in China. Currently, the drug has been approved
for marketing in 21 countries and regions, including Canada, Russia, Singapore and Kuwait.
The study results published in this publication are the first
elaboration of information on the human in vivo composition
of Lianhua Qingwen Capsules, providing a chemical and
pharmacological theoretical basis for the study of its
pharmacologically active ingredients and mechanism of action in
anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and further elaborating
how Lianhua Qingwen works from the
human in vivo perspective, which is an extension of the
experimental studies and clinical evidence of Chinese medicine for
the treatment of COVID-19.