A specific drug for Covid-19 has yet to be found. Many parties have conducted various studies to find effective drugs to kill this new coronavirus, including herbal ingredients.
What is herbal or traditional medicine’s position to prevent the coronavirus and the treatment of Covid-19 patients? Lung Consultant Internal Medicine Specialist, dr. Ika Trisnawati, M.Sc., Sp.PD, K-P., said that herbal medicine is a supporting supplement in the treatment of diseases including Covid-19.
“The addition of herbal components is one of the treatment modalities, including for Covid-19,” he said in a talk show on Science-Clinical Synergy during the Pandemic, Lesson Learn From Covid-19 Handling, which was held online by the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM on Wednesday (8/7).
She gave an example of herbal medicine in supporting the treatment of diseases because of viruses that had been carried out. One of them is the use of VCO in supporting standard treatment in HIV patients. VCO contains lauric acid, strengthening the immune system, and has been tested, showing benefits in helping standard treatment in HIV patients.
“In the treatment of diseases caused by viruses such as HIV, hepatitis, and others, they add a herbal component to one treatment modality. It can also be a supplement modality for the treatment of Covid-19, so herbs as an adjuvant,” she explained.
A similar statement was said by the Professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM, Prof. Dr. Suwijiyo Pramono, Apt. This herbal expert mentioned that herbal or traditional medicine is not antiviral. Herbs are a source of vitamins and minerals that can increase the immune. It serves as an immunostimulant, antioxidant, and immunomodulator.
“Herbal medicine is used as a supporting therapy for standard medicine to help patients heal,” he explained.
He mentioned that many herbal medicines have been empirically used by the public and have gone through various tests to be used as immunostimulants. Some of them are herbs with chemical constituents of ginger, turmeric, ginger, meniran, sambiloto, guava fruit, noni fruit, aloe vera gel, herbal preparations, and topical and inhaled ingredients such as eucalyptus.
Pramono said there were several challenges in testing herbal medicine, including Covid-19. First, there must be empirical data on the use of these herbal ingredients. Furthermore, it is necessary to go through many long testing processes ranging from antiviral tests via docking, in vitro, in vivo pharmacokinetics to on-top clinical trials. Not only that, optimizing the effect of immunostimulants by tracing extracts, fractions to active isolated in vitro and in vivo and preparing preparations for clinical trials.
“Optimizing the effect of overcoming the symptoms of Covid-19, especially mucolytics and bronchospamolytics. Then, on top clinical trials with the protocol for wise cosmetic manufacturing”, he said.
On that occasion, he also mentioned the eucalyptus necklace in the treatment of Covid-19. According to him, the use of eucalyptus in the form of necklaces for medical devices can help the healing process for Covid-19 patients. Even so, the use in the form of a necklace must be tested clinically.
The talkshow also invited UGM microbiology expert, Prof. drh. Widya Asmara, SU., Ph.D., who conveyed about the development of the Covid-19 vaccine. He explained the various possibilities for developing vaccines to prevent Covid-19, such as developing vaccines through attenuated viruses, sub-units of vaccines, genetic vaccines based on DNA and RNA materials, viral vector vaccines, etc.
“The easiest way is to develop a vaccine from an inactivated virus, but the problem with Covid-19 is that there are difficulties when propagating viruses or cultures,” he added.
Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/19691-herbal-sebagai-suplemen-pengobatan-covid-19
