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Nigerian Touts Potent Herbal COVID-19 Treatment

Ifiok Ettang

   A'¯Nigerian'¯biotechnologist'¯says he hasan herbal treatment
   for'¯COVID-19 that is "more potent" than a popular - but unproven --
   tonic made inMadagascar. However, medical authorities caution that
   plant-based medicines must be tested before use or else they can do
   more harm than good.

   Madagascar '¯toutedits herbal'¯drinkfrom '¯theartemisia plant,an
   antimalarial, to cure the coronavirus -- despite having no scientific
   proof.
   The artemisia plant also known as Sweet Wormwood contains artemisinin
   which has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries in
   treating fevers.

   Hope in the plant-based treatment led countries from Tanzania to
   Liberia to import the brew and to also develop their own.

   Nigerian professorof '¯biotechnologyat the University of Jos,
   InnocentOgbonna,claimshe has created more potent herbal treatment from
   theplant.

   "Theartemisia'¯ annua'¯in Madagascar has an artemisinin content of
   1.1%,'¯ours'¯has 4.8%. You can see the'¯difference," he told VOA. '¯'¯

   As with Madagascar's, Ogbonna's team of researchers claim their herbal
   cocktails, which are in the form of syrups andteas, haveassisted
   COVID-19 patients to recover from the virus.'¯'¯

   But Infectious disease physician at the Jos University Teaching
   Hospital (JUTH), Dr. NathanShehu, cautionsthat testing is needed before
   using herbs to treat COVID-19.

   "It is a fact that herbal remedies are available and could be effective
   in the management of COVID," Dr. Shehu said. "But it is important that
   before they can be deployed for such purposes, they should undergo the
   elaborate trials to validate whether they are functional or not.
   Because you are dealing with human lives."
   The World health Organization says 80%'¯of Africans regularly use
   herbal medicine,including Nigeriawhere plant-based treatments have been
   used for generations.

   But the WHO warns that using unproven COVID-19 remedies can do more
   harm than good.

   Infectious diseases specialistat JUTH, Dr.SamuelGomorep, stresses there
   is no effective herbal treatment for the virus, let alone a cure --
   plant-based or otherwise.

   "For now, there is no cure for COVID-19. But in terms of management of
   patients with COVID-19, most especially those that have severe
   symptoms, we understand the disease better than where we started, and
   we can better handle the disease.," Dr.Gomorep told VOA.

   Until a proven vaccine is found, the Nigerian Center for Disease
   Control says the best form of prevention is to maintain social
   distancing, wear a mask, and wash your hands regularly.'¯'¯

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