DOST exec bares positive results of lagundi, tawa-tawa trials

Department of Science ang Technology Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra said Sunday that lagundi and tawa-tawa as a possible adjunct treatment, help decrease symptoms of mild COVID-19 cases.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Guevarra said that clinical trial for lagundi has just been concluded, and the study team's initial conclusion is that the herbal medicine can decrease symptoms of mild COVID-19 cases.

"So, na-prove na nila na nale-lessen yung mga symptom using lagundi, lalo na yung pagkawala ng pang-amoy, nakapagbibigay din ito ng overall relief from discomfort due to the symptoms," she said.

(The team was able to prove that lagundi lessens mild COVID-19 symptoms -- loss of smell, coughing, fever, among others -- and drives away the discomfort).  

Also, the trial on tawa-tawa yielded  good feedback from respondents with mild to moderate cases.

"Of the 172 random COVID-19 positive respondents who took two tawa-tawa  1,950mg capsules three times a day for 10 days, their symptoms disappeared within three to five days," Guevarra said.

She clarified that tawa-tawa was given as food supplement. Also, she emphasized that lagundi is a herbal medicine, and tawa-tawa is a herbal supplement.  "Magkaiba yun" (these are two distinct qualities of the two), she added.

Symptoms that disappeared with the use of tawa-tawa included fevers, chills, body aches, and cough, Guevarra said.

"Yung isang respondent, sabi nya, pagka-take niya, ang general well-being niya nag-improve -- pati yung paghinga. Yung isa nagkaroon ng increased appetite, better bowel movement ... tapos na-alleviate ang cough," she added.  

(After taking the tawa-taw extract, one of the respondents had the feeling of an improved general well-being. And another one got increased appetite, better bowel movement, and the cough was alleviated.)

Generally, lagundi and tawa-tawa have yielded good results .

She added that the DOST is looking at studying the anti-viral effect of lagundi for mild and moderate COVID-19 cases with comorbidities.

Asked if Lagundi and tawa-tawa would be advisable for those who self-medicate, she said, "its okay, there's no harm expected from lagundi and tawa-tawa." —LBG, GMA News