Application of Chinese Medicine in the Management of Critical Conditions: A Review on Sepsis

Abstract

Critical care medicine is a medical specialty engaging the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients who have or are likely to have life-threatening organ failure. Sepsis, a life-threatening condition that arises when the body responds to infection, is currently the major cause of death in intensive care units (ICU). Although progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of sepsis, many drawbacks in sepsis treatment remains unresolved. For example, antimicrobial resistance, controversial of glucocorticoids use, prolonged duration of ICU care and the subsequent high cost of the treatment. Recent years have witnessed a growing trend of applying traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in sepsis management. The TCM application emphasizes use of herbal formulation to balance immune responses to infection, which include clearing heat and toxin, promoting blood circulation and removing its stasis, enhancing gastrointestinal function, and strengthening body resistance. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the current status of Chinese herbal formulations, single herbs, and isolated compounds, as an add-on therapy to the standard Western treatment in the sepsis management. With the current trajectory of worldwide pandemic eruption of newly identified Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), the adjuvant TCM therapy can be used in the ICU to treat critically ill patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

Structural Characterization and Immunomodulatory Activity of a Novel Polysaccharide From Lycopi Herba

“…The immune response plays an important role in disease development because severe inflammation and suppressed immunization can increase the risk of infections, multiple organ failure, or death (Sharma et al, 2015). It has been reported that many traditional Chinese herbs with the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis could also enhance the body's immune function, which was beneficial to balance immune responses to infection (Fan et al, 2020). To confirm the effect of LHPW on immune response and exposit the molecular mechanism, we used the macrophage RAW 264.7 as induced model cells.…”

Herbal Medicine, Gut Microbiota, and COVID-19

“…Play an anti-inflammatory effect, thereby maintaining intestinal homeostasis. In conclusion, herbal medicine can maintain the intestinal microecological balance, prevent the migration of flora, and avoid the induction of endotoxemia, which is extremely important for the prevention and treatment of sepsis ( Varon, 2009 ; Varon and Varon, 2015 ; Fan et al, 2020 ).…”

Research Progress in Chinese Herbal Medicines for Treatment of Sepsis: Pharmacological Action, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacokinetics

“…The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has infected over 20,000,000 people around the world, claiming the lives of nearly 5 million people worldwide. Among the patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 26% have been treated as critical cases, which could involve sepsis or even septic shock [5]. Septic shock is a subset of sepsis in which underlying circulatory and cellular-metabolic abnormalities are profound enough to substantially increase mortality, and operationally defined as requiring vasopressor therapy to maintain a mean arterial blood pressure of >65 mmHg and an increased plasma lactate level of >2 mmol/L [1,6].…”