KMU's Research Team Has Confirmed that "Honeysuckle" Can Treat COVID-19

A team led by Hsiao-Sheng Liu, a Visiting Distinguished professor of the Master's Degree Program in Tropical Medicine at  KMU, has proven that the traditional Chinese medicine "honeysuckle" can strengthen resistance against the COVID-19 and treat dengue fever and enterovirus.

Visiting Distinguished Professor Hsiao-Sheng Liu and Associate Professor Ying-Ray Lee of KMU cooperated with the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and National Cheng Kung University in human studies and experiments using cells and animal, and confirmed that honeysuckle tea can induce a host of "microRNAs" in the human body. It is predicted that three kinds of microRNAs can identify the gene sequences of dengue virus, enterovirus, and COVID-19. Drinking Honeysuckle tea can induce a rise in let-7a, which inhibits the replication of dengue virus and enterovirus. It reduces the viral load, alleviates disease symptoms of infected mice, and prolongs their survival time. Besides, experiments have demonstrated that honeysuckle and astragalus, another traditional Chinese medicine, can induce the production of key microRNAs in host cells to hinder the adsorption and replication of COVID-19, inhibit cytokine storms, and even combat variant strains of viruses. Based on the above findings, three papers have been published in international journals. The team also explored the use of astragalus to prevent the possibility of pulmonary fibrosis. The experimental results showed that let-7 induced by astragalus can inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines, which helps to prevent cytokine storms or pulmonary fibrosis, and alleviate the symptom of patients with respiratory distress.

※ Since honeysuckle is cool-natured, pregnant and menstruating women are recommended to consult a doctor before drinking honeysuckle tea.