The DOST pushed for Lagundi as a treatment for mild COVID-19 cases.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) had pushed for Lagundi (Chinese chaste tree) as a treatment for mild COVID-19 cases.
The Department of Science and Technology expressed optimism that Lagundi will soon be considered as a treatment to be used by patients with mild symptoms of coronavirus disease.
DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña shared the initial results on the clinical trial of Lagundi for mild COVID-19 cases during the Laging Handa public briefing on Wednesday.
“Una, lahat sila ay gumaling. Kasi yun pong ating participants hinati sa dalawa – yung isa binigyan ng lagundi, yung isa placebo na walang lamang lagundi,” de la Peña explained.
De la Peña also said that the clinical trial for Lagundi was expected to be completed by the end of June.
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He then explained that there were a total of 278 participants for the Lagundi clinical trials and the patients were gathered from different quarantine facilities.
De la Peña added that the participants were divided into groups and the difference between them was that those participants who took Lagundi were able to regain their sense of smell easily.
Likewise, de la Peña noted that participants of the study on the impact of herbal medicine on patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms didn’t experience “serious adverse effects”.
De la Peña noted that the results of the clinical trial for Lagundi as a possible supplement against COVID-19 has concluded and the analysis on the results were ongoing.
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Currently, de la Peña noted that Lagundi was approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a cough remedy and it can be purchased as an over-the-counter medicine.
“Hindi nga lang nakalagay doon na approved as a COVID-19 remedy. Kaya kung magkakaroon ito ng magandang resulta, pwede nang idagdag doon sa indications na magagamit din sa COVID-19. This is good because it is easily available, cheaper and it is derived from our own plant,” de la Peña said.
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