Medication Regularities of Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating COVID-19: A data mining-based literature analysis

Objective:Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)has been widely used as an approach worldwide.To explore distribution regularities of the nature,flavor,and meridian entry of Chinese Medicines(CMs)for treating Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)by data mining in the relevant literature to provide basis for clinical prescriptions.Methods:The database was established by collecting and analyzing the prescriptions for COVID-19 in regional schemes of CMs for COVID-19 announced by National health Commission and Administration of TCM of the provinces,municipalities and autonomous regions.The frequencies and the distribution regularities of the nature and flavor of these Chinese medicines were statistically analyzed by SPSS 21.0.Results:CMs with bitter,xin,sweet flavors were widely used in treating COVID-19,most of them entered lung,stomach,spleen,and heart meridian entries,with warm,cold,flat properties.Warm property CMs were used most in coastal areas such as Liaoning,Hebei,Tianjin,Shandong,Jiangsu,Shanghai,Zhejiang,Guangxi and inland areas such as Ningxia,Shanxi,Hubei,and Sichuan,and Guizhou,while cold property CMs were used most in coastal areas such as Heilongjiang,Jilin,Fujian,Guangdong,Hainan and inland areas such as Inner Mongolia,Xinjiang,Beijing,Shanxi,Jiangxi,and Hunan.Conclusion:The medication regularities of nature and flavor of CMs might reflect the pathogenesis of COVID-19.CMs were used variously according ro the region,reflected the dialectical characteristics of TCM,patients were treated in accordance with seasonal conditions,local conditions and the patient's individuality.