A total of 427 boxes of "exocarpium" products arrived at Tonghua in Northeast China's Jilin province on Feb 6, after six days of traveling.

These products had been donated by 46 exocarpium enterprises and professional cooperatives in Huazhou, a county-level city in Maoming, South China's Guangdong province.

The boxes have a total value of about 4.9 million yuan ($712,656.86), and are aimed at helping the locals fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trucks loaded with exocarpium products set out from Maoming to Tonghua on Jan 31. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]

Studies have found that exocarpium, a traditional Chinese medical herb, has the effects of eliminating dampness, reducing phlegm, relieving a cough, and anti-inflammation, and is very effective for the prevention and early treatment of flu.

In the 6th, 7th and 8th trial versions of the COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol, exocarpium was listed as a recommended prescription drug for the common COVID-19 syndrome of noxious dampness and stagnating lung. It has become one of the epidemic prevention materials in greatest demand.

"We hope that these donations can bring warmth and security to the volunteers and medical staff working on the front line against the COVID-19 pandemic," said Li Yanan, chairman of the Dongchang District Charity Volunteers' Association in Tonghua.

Exocarpium is a specialty of Huazhou and was listed as a protected product under China's national geographical trademarks in 2006. Consequently, Huazhou is known as the hometown of exocarpium in China.