Therapeutic Mechanisms of Traditional Kampo Medicines in the Management of Mild COVID-19 through Gut Microbiota Modulation
Abstract
Despite antiviral administration, a small number of patients still suffer from prolonged and severe COVID-19 owing to excessive inflammation. Traditional Kampo medicines (TKMs) with a heat-clearing effect have anti-inflammatory effects, such as a reduced NF-κB activity, and rarely cause serious side effects when administered for a short period of time. After oral administration, TKMs interact with the gut microbiota, producing two types of metabolites: metabolites from the gut microbiota (of food and host origin) and TKM compounds transformed by the gut microbiota. Both metabolites decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. TKM compounds transformed by the gut microbiota may exhibit superior bioavailability compared with their precursors. In this review, we assessed the mechanism by which bioactive substances with anti-inflammatory effects, such as berberine, baicalin, saikosaponin, kaempferol, and short-chain fatty acids, are effective in treating respiratory symptoms after COVID-19 infection.
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