Prevention and Control of Acute Respiratory Viral Infections in Adult Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Ginseng-Based Clinical Trials.

Adusei-Mensah, F.; Agjei, R. O.; Awoniyi, L. O.; Lekpa, D. K.; Awoniyi, F. B.; Adeyemi, O. S.; Olawuni, A.; Adegbite, A.

Introduction: Acute respiratory infections are continuously emerging. Discovered in Wuhan city, China in 2019, COV-SARS-2 and most viral respiratory diseases presently do not have a definitive cure. This paper aims to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of ginseng for the prevention and control of acute respiratory illness including SARS-COV-2 in the adult population. Method: We performed a systematic literature review using databases PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane library from 1st through the 27th of April 2020. All related articles that reported the use of Ginseng in COVID-19 patients were included in this analysis. The screening was done by 2-independent researchers. The meta-analysis was performed using a comprehensive meta-analysis package. Result: 596 articles were retrieved for the time frame. After screening, 5 articles with RCTs outcomes relevant to the review were selected. Ginseng was found to be effective in the reduction of risk by 38 % and 3-days shorter duration of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in all trials than placebo. Conclusion: As the world continues to race to find a cure, it is important to consider the use of ginseng which has been proven over the years to be effective in the treatment of acute respiratory illnesses. Further studies should however be conducted to determine the right dosage to improve efficacy and prevent adverse events.