In order to find and verify which Chinese medicines are more effective for Covid-19 prevention and control, the team of Academician Zhong Nanshan screened more than 40 kinds of Chinese patent medicines and Chinese medicine prescriptions. These studies (including virus suppression tests) have laid an important theoretical foundation for the development of clinical trials. During the drug screening process, the researchers verified that Lianhua Qingwen Capsules and other traditional Chinese medicines have good inhibitory effects on the cytopathy caused by 2019-nCoV infection, and can inhibit the activity of 2019-nCoV, reduce the virus contents and significantly inhibit the overexpression of inflammatory cytokines. This study was published in the mainstream journal of pharmacology Pharmacological Research. Based on this discovery, academician Zhong Nanshan, together with academicians Zhang Boli, Li Lanjuan and other Chinese and Western medicine clinical experts, launched a prospective, randomized, controlled, multi-center clinical trial of Lianhua Qingwen in the treatment of Covid-19.

The study was conducted in more than 20 hospitals nationwide. Considering the urgency of epidemic prevention and control, it was impossible to carry out double blindness; after discussion, the expert group decided to adopt the most objective randomized parallel controlled trial design under limited conditions.

The team of Academician Zhong Nanshan attached great importance to the development of Chinese traditional medicines. At the early stage of the epidemic, the team actively responded to the national call, led a number of medical institutions across the country to carry out strict design of traditional Chinese medicine screening research and clinical application, organized and launched randomized comparison clinical trials by using Lianhua Qingwen capsule as a typical medicine. That Phytomedicine published the clinical research results of Lianhua Qingwen Capsule on the treatment of Covid-19 is also an international recognition and affirmation for the effects of traditional Chinese medicine on the prevention and control of Covid-19. It is of great significance for promoting the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine.