A traditional medicine, Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS), inhibits the infection of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and the Influenza A virus in vitro

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in the infection of over 60 million people and has caused over 1.4 million deaths as of December 2020 in more than 220 countries and territories. Currently, there is no effective treatment for COVID-19 to reduce mortality. We investigated the potential anti-coronavirus activities from an oral liquid of traditional medicine, Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS), which contains mostly herbal ingredients traditionally used to manage lung diseases. Here we report that RDS inhibited the infection of target cells by SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses, and by infectious wild-type SARS-CoV-2. We further demonstrated that RDS inhibits viral early infection steps. In addition, we found that RDS can also block the infection of target cells by Influenza A virus. These results suggest that RDS may broadly inhibit the infection of respiratory viruses.

Competing Interest Statement

All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: R.M.H. and Y.W. at the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, George Mason University have received research grants from Dejie Harmony, and L.A.H does consultancy for Dejia Harmony and received honorariums; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Footnotes

* This revision is to change the naming of RDS from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to traditional medicine for accuracy. RDS used in the paper was not produced in China, and contains ingredients that do not belong to traditional Chinese medicine.