MANILA, Philippines — The country’s study on herbal medicine lagundi as a supplementary treatment for COVID-19 patients showed “positive” results, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Tuesday.
Jaime Montoya, Executive Director of the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, said that the study was completed in the middle of September.
“For lagundi, tapos na ang study (the study has been finished). We are looking at whether it can help alleviate or prevent progression of mild disease to moderate or severe cases to allow early resolution or improvement of symptoms,” he told reporters in an online interview.
“The results are being reviewed by our experts. What I can say is it is positive but I cannot give the specifics because it is being peer-reviewed,” he said.
In June, the DOST also said that lagundi can help mild COVID-19 patients get rid of their symptoms faster and speed up the return of their sense of smell, according to the preliminary findings of its study.
Meanwhile, Montoya said that the in-vitro study for the antiviral properties of the virgin coconut oil (VCO) for COVID-19 patients was already finished. He noted that the community-based study in Sta. Rosa, Laguna was also finished and published in the Journal of Functional Foods.
“There is still an ongoing clinical trial ng VCO na community-based kasi in-expand nila yung population ng Sta. Rosa to include other localities like Valenzuela to include the number of patients. Still looking at mild cases of COVID-19,” he said.
The VCO study for moderate to hospitalized cases of COVID-19 at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila has likewise been finished. Montoya said data from the study is already being analyzed.
The trials for another herbal plant tawa-tawa is still ongoing.
“We hope the study will be finished by the end of this month at least the recruitment of volunteers and hopefully the results will be out by November,” said Montoya.
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