2.1. Study design

This study was a prospective, interventional study where 46 patients were enrolled with confirmed diagnosis of NCP in Xiangzhou District People’s Hospital of Xiangyang, Hubei Province, China, from February 1, 2020 to March 1, 2020. The experimental group (n = 23) were given a combination of a novel TCM labeled "FuXi-Tiandi-Wuxing Decoction" along with anti-viral drugs, whereas the control group (n = 23) were given anti-viral drugs alone. Patients belonging to the control group were further divided after 6 days into the experimental subgroup (n = 14) receiving combination therapy of FuXi-Tiandi-Wuxing Decoction and anti-viral drugs, whereas the control subgroup (n = 9) continued to receive anti-viral drugs. Further, the remaining 9 patients already on anti-viral drugs were treated with FuXi-Tiandi-Wuxing Decoction when there was no improvement in their symptoms. The study timeline and treatment plan for the two groups are provided in Fig. 1.

Study timeline and treatment plan.

This study was approved by the ethics committees of Xiangzhou District People’s Hospital of Xiangyang, Hubei Province, and was conducted in accordance to the 1964 Helsinki Declaration. All the patients gave written consent for participating in the study.