Recently, according to the "Science and Technology Daily" report, Chinese scientists discovered a new drug for the treatment of COVID-19, which has been authorized by the national invention patent. The patent specification shows that 10 μM (micromol/L) of fenugreek inhibits the replication of coronavirus by 15,393 times . This means that a very small amount of fenugreek can prevent the expansion and spread of the new coronavirus.

｜What is fenugreek?

Cepharanthine is an alkaloid isolated and extracted from the phyllostachys genus Cepharanthine, intolerant tubers or canes, which can promote the proliferation of bone marrow tissue, thereby increasing white blood cells .

For leukopenia, it can increase leukocytes in peripheral blood. Animal experiments have found that it can significantly prevent leukopenia caused by mitomycin , but does not inhibit the anticancer effect of mitomycin. Its mechanism of action is to promote the proliferation of bone marrow tissue, thereby producing the effect of increasing white blood cells. For agranulocytosis caused by tumor chemotherapy, radiotherapy and leukopenia caused by other reasons.

｜What does 15393 times represent?

Professor Tong Yigang said, "This number can be understood in layman's terms as if there were 15,393 viruses without the fenugreek drug, and with 10 micromol/L fenugreek drug, the number of viruses would be only 1. That is, It is said that a very small amount of fenugreek can prevent the expansion and spread of the new coronavirus."

In layman's terms, it means that if fenugreek is used, the number of viruses produced will be very small, which is only equivalent to 1/15,393 of the number of viruses when fenugreek is not used, and the new coronavirus can be suppressed to a very low level. .

American scholars have also published papers in "Science" before confirming that the data of fenugreek in the 26 drugs they have studied are eye-catching, and they are better than Remdesivir and Paloviride, which have been approved for marketing.

After conducting research on this coronavirus, Tong Yigang's team published a paper in the English version of the Chinese Medical Journal in May 2020, disclosing the results of research on related anti-new coronavirus drugs: comparing pangolin coronavirus with 2,406 clinically approved drugs After comparison, it was found that fenugreek, selamectin and mefloquine hydrochloride are potential drugs for the treatment of new coronavirus infection.

In addition, the team of Takashi Wakita, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan, and other teams have also confirmed that fenugreek has an anti-new crown virus effect.

｜As soon as the concept of fenugreek came out, many pharmaceutical stocks rose by the daily limit

As soon as the news that Qianjinsu can cure the new crown was released, the stock market responded quickly, and many traditional Chinese medicine stocks soared or even reached the daily limit, and the listed companies involved in the new drugs were highly concerned by the market.

1. Buchang Pharmaceutical (603858), mainly engaged in the research and development, production and sales of Chinese patent medicines. The main products involve the field of Chinese patent medicines for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and also cover other fields such as gynecological drugs. The company has a patented technology for the preparation of fenugreek hydrochloride. This is a real technology, and whether it can become a leader depends on the intensity of financial speculation.

2. Yunnan Baiyao (000538) is a large-scale well-known pharmaceutical company focusing on pharmaceutical research and development, pharmaceutical manufacturing, daily chemical care, health care, medicinal material trade, wholesale and retail, and pharmaceutical logistics. At present, the main products are fenugreek tablets, which are Yunnan Baiyao Group Wenshan Qihua Co., Ltd. and Yunnan Baiyao Group Dali Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., which are related to the concept of fenugreek.

3. Qianjin Pharmaceutical (600479), mainly engaged in the development, production and sales of Chinese patent medicines, chemical medicines and feminine hygiene products, as well as the wholesale and retail business of medicines. According to the reply of the secretary of the board of directors: the company does not have any products related to fenugreek, so it is a hot concept.

4. Dali Pharmaceutical (603963), the main products are "Zhongjing brand" Xingnaojing injection and Shenmai injection, accounting for more than 90% of the company's total revenue. Shenmai injection is a drug for cardiovascular diseases, and it is a product of the National Essential Drug List and a Category A product of the national medical insurance Chinese patent medicine. At present, this Dali Pharmaceutical is not the other Dali Pharmaceutical, because Yunnan Baiyao also has a Dali Pharmaceutical Company.

However, at present, fenugreek is still in the drug discovery stage, and the data obtained are also in vitro data, and experiments have not even been done on animals. (At least from the point of view of public information, there is no animal experimental data) According to the historical data of new drug development, the probability of success of fenugreek is about 3.1%. Whether it can become an anti-new crown drug in the end also needs to go through animal tests, human clinical trials, marketing approval and other links, but there is great uncertainty in passing it.

Since the concept of fenugreek has just been released, there are not many related listed companies involved. However, over time, the market may discover more listings related to fenugreek. For stocks that are hyped up with this concept , as long as you keep an eye on the leader, other stocks that follow the trend will not rise for a long time. Of course, you must be careful not to chase the high. You can try short-term operations.