Thinking about novel coronavirus pneumonia in TCM etiology and pathogenesis./ 关于新型冠状病毒肺炎的中医病因病机思考

Novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19)，first found at the end of 2019，is highly contagious and has a high mortality rate，with no specific drugs currently． Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has achieved certain results in identifying and treating this disease． Based on the theory in Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor (《黄帝内经》)，combined with the theory of febrile disease，it is believed that the cause of COVID-19 is dampness toxin． The internal and external dampness pathogens have identical qi，affect each other，and assemble to become toxins． After combining with epidemic toxins，it can follow cold transformation or heat transformation． According to COVID-19 patients clinical symptoms mainly involving pulmonary system and spleen and stomach system，and combining theories such as five evolutive phases and six climatic factors，it is believed that the location of disease is lung and spleen． Main pathogenesis is dampness toxin obstructing the body and disorder of qi movement． Pathogenic characteristics are dampness，heat，toxin，stasis，and deficiency． In severely ill patients，the deeper the heat，the severer the reversal coldness． Static blood obstructs collateral，lung fails in dispersing and purifying，prolonged illness affects kidney，and the characteristics of heat，stasis and deficiency are more distinct．