Herbal Medication to Enhance or Modulate Viral Infections

Nurs Clin North Am. 2021 Mar;56(1):79-89. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2020.10.007. Epub 2020 Nov 28.

Abstract

Viral infections and their emergence continue to pose a threat to human lives. Up to the present, there are limited numbers of vaccines that effectively work and few antivirals licensed for use in clinical practice. Added to this is the increase in antiviral resistance, meaning that drugs that do work are at risk of reduced efficacy. The recent global pandemic of coronavirus 2019 has provided evidence for the risk of a preventative vaccination and effective treatment of viruses' subsequent consequences. The aim of this article is to review traditional and herbal treatments for infections, specifically addressing gastrointestinal and respiratory viral infections.

Keywords: COVID-19; Gastrointestinal; Herbs; Immune; Respiratory; Viral.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Advanced Practice Nursing
  • COVID-19
  • Humans
  • Nurse's Role
  • Phytotherapy* / nursing
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Virus Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Virus Diseases / epidemiology
  • Virus Diseases / nursing