Thai herbs to cure COVID-19?
Images adapted from: Thaicom and Thairath
Andrographis Paniculata, aka green chiretta, has been known to many Thai people as herbal medicine to relieve common cold and flu.
Today, Thailand wants to take a further step to see if this traditional medicine can work against the novel coronavirus.
Images credit: Thairath
On 28th June 2020, Dr Marut Jirasrattasiri, director-general of the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department, said the Human Research Ethics Committee granted approval for his department to begin a trial study on the effect of green chiretta on COVID-19 patients.
Joining the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department are the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Chulabhorn Research Institute, and Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO).
Conducted at 2 hospitals
Image credit: The Scientist
Since the COVID-19 situation in Thailand is getting better, the department will instead conduct this human research on patients who have returned from overseas.
They will begin the study at Samut Prakan Hospital and Bang Lamung Hospital as these 2 hospitals are the main state quarantine centres.
No scientific proof so far
When the COVID-19 outbreak started earlier this year, a lot of people were reportedly stocking up green chiretta capsules, which are easily accessible at many convenience stores.
However, there has been no scientific evidence to suggest that green chiretta is capable of preventing and treating COVID-19.
“There is no research which confirms that the plant can protect or relieve symptoms in humans from [the] Wuhan virus,” Dr. Pakakrong Kwankao, Head of the Empirical Evidence Centre at Chao Phraya Abhaibhubehjr Hospital, told AFP in February.
With this research, Thailand is joining many nations in working on finding a cure for COVID-19.
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