Recently, the weather has gradually turned cooler, with significant temperature differences in the morning and evening, leading some people to catch colds. Today, we will introduce a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) product: Antiviral Oral Liquid.
When it comes to autumn colds, many people associate it with the term “autumn dryness.” In fact, colds throughout the four seasons are generally similar, with each season having its own characteristics. However, we must grasp the overarching patterns to truly understand this illness.
Seasonal colds are mostly caused by the invasion of cold pathogens, with fewer cases resulting from dryness and heat damaging body fluids. During this time, dampness can exacerbate the situation. The main issues are as follows: wind is the carrier, the platform that brings these pathogens.
Therefore, TCM categorizes external pathogens into: Wind, Cold, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire (Heat). Among these, “Wind” serves as the carrier, while the others are divided into two main camps: “Cold” and “Heat,” with factors like summer heat, dampness, and dryness constantly interacting with cold and heat.
However, in cases of cold-induced external pathogens, the initial symptoms are often cold-related, such as clear nasal discharge and sneezing. As the illness progresses and the body’s resistance decreases, the external pathogens penetrate deeper, leading to heat symptoms like sore throat, yellow phlegm cough, and fever. This condition is commonly referred to as “wind-heat cold,” but it is merely a stage of wind-cold cold.
True wind-heat colds typically begin with throat discomfort and swelling, which occurs due to insufficient body fluids and poor circulation of qi and blood, allowing external pathogens to invade directly through the mouth and nose. This type of external pathogen does not have the initial cold symptoms of clear nasal discharge, sneezing, or aversion to cold; instead, it presents with throat itchiness, pain, rapid onset of fever, body aches, tonsillitis, and yellow phlegm cough.
Although both types of colds share similar symptoms during the heat phase, they can generally be treated with a similar approach: the principle of clearing heat and detoxifying, as exemplified by the antiviral oral liquid we are discussing today.
However, the final outcomes will differ. In cases of external cold colds, once the heat pathogen is cleared, the condition often reverts to an external cold state before the pathogens are completely eliminated. In contrast, wind-heat colds do not revert to an external cold state after the heat pathogen is cleared; instead, they may lead to a state of dryness and heat damaging yin, requiring treatment to nourish yin and support the body’s righteousness.
Are you able to clarify this? Wind-cold colds and wind-heat colds are like two parallel tracks; they share a segment of experience during the heat phase before diverging.
In wind-cold colds, dampness often exacerbates the situation, while in wind-heat colds, dampness can also appear at any time.
A friend asked: Isn’t wind-heat cold characterized by dryness and heat damaging body fluids? If body fluids are insufficient, how can there still be dampness?
Everyone, please do not confuse dampness with body fluids. Dampness is liquid that the body cannot utilize, obstructing the flow of qi and blood, while body fluids are the utilized liquids that are part of our body.
This is akin to saying: In your community, there are drinking water pipes and sewage pipes, both running underground, but you cannot say that when there is no drinking water, there is no need to replenish water just because there is a lot of sewage. Is this analogy clear?
Thus, when the body has issues, it often presents with both heavy dampness and insufficient body fluids. At this time, it is essential to first resolve the dampness while also nourishing the body fluids. This is a sophisticated approach that likely requires a deep understanding of TCM to formulate such prescriptions.
The antiviral oral liquid embodies this principle. Currently, due to severe smog across various regions in China, dampness is prevalent, and few cities have pure air, making it inevitable for the body to be affected. Therefore, heavy dampness is a very common issue.
Consequently, the formula for the antiviral oral liquid includes rare ingredients such as Shi Chang Pu (Acorus tatarinowii), Guang Huo Xiang (Patchouli), and Yu Jin (Curcuma) to aromatically dispel dampness. This aligns with the theory of warm diseases, incorporating aromatic qi-moving herbs to eliminate dampness while clearing heat and detoxifying.
Additionally, the formula includes Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia glutinosa) to nourish yin and generate body fluids. This addresses the issue of insufficient body fluids leading to poor circulation of qi and blood.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients of this TCM product: Ban Lan Gen (Isatis indigotica), Shi Gao (Gypsum), Lu Hui (Aloe), Sheng Di Huang, Yu Jin, Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena asphodeloides), Shi Chang Pu, Guang Huo Xiang, and Lian Qiao (Forsythia). Excluding Sheng Di Huang, which nourishes yin and generates body fluids, and the aromatic damp-dispelling herbs Shi Chang Pu, Guang Huo Xiang, and Yu Jin, the remaining ingredients are all heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs: Ban Lan Gen, Shi Gao, Lu Hui, and Zhi Mu serve this purpose.
Thus, the compatibility of this formula is quite reasonable.
So, which type of cold does the antiviral oral liquid actually treat?
If we elaborate, it treats wind-heat cold. However, if a wind-cold cold presents with heat symptoms, it can also be used, but it is advisable to combine it with some warming herbs to dispel external cold, such as drinking water boiled with Zi Su Ye (Perilla leaf) or ginger soup.
This type of external heat symptoms may present with fever, sore throat, yellow phlegm, body aches, rapid pulse, and red tongue.
Initially, I did not pay much attention to this medicine, but later I noticed that as dampness increased across the country, the advantages of this medicine began to emerge. Therefore, I often provide it to friends who find it inconvenient to purchase TCM prescriptions. Sometimes, in cases of heavy smog, I also recommend combining it with Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui (Patchouli and Qi-regulating Water), which has shown good results.
At times, when patients are more severely ill, I also suggest taking two doses instead of one, as the instructions state one dose per time. However, if we were to prescribe a decoction, the amount of medicinal liquid would be much greater. Therefore, I believe that sometimes one dose is insufficient, and I would recommend taking two to three doses at a time.
As for why this medicine is named antiviral oral liquid, I have always been puzzled. According to TCM principles, regardless of whether it is a virus or bacteria, as long as there are heat symptoms, this medicine can be used. However, if a virus or bacteria causes cold symptoms, this medicine should not be used.
Thus, the formula is good, but the name does not align with TCM theory, which remains a mystery.
I suspect some friends may ask if this medicine is suitable for children. I checked online, and there is a pediatric version of this medicine available. Friends can check local pharmacies for availability.
Many friends find it inconvenient to decoct TCM while traveling or on business trips, so I believe that if we can use TCM products effectively, it can also help protect ourselves.