(Eagle News) — The Philippines is currently collating data on clinical trials on the use of virgin coconut oil, Lagundi and Tawa-tawa herbs in efforts to fight COVID-19, aside from other drugs supposedly also against the virus, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said.
DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said that these natural products are currently approved for clinical trials in the country, but of the three, only VCO has ongoing clinical trials in the Sta. Rosa Community Hospital and at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) which is testing VCO on severe cases.
“Mahahati natin sa tatlong klase. Mayroon tayong mga sinusubukang mga natural products kabilang diyan ang VCO, ang Lagundi at Tawa-Tawa. Iyon pong sa VCO ay iyon lamang sa Sta. Rosa Community Hospital ang ongoing. Hinihintay pa po namin iyong sa PGH para sa mga severe cases,” Dela Peña said.
The DOST chief said that out of 90 targeted participants for the VCO clinal trial, the data from the 30 participants are the only data that had come in.
Dela Peña said that so far, the data that they have showed promising results.
“Pero doon po sa ginawa namin, out of 90 targeted participants, 30 pa lang po ang aming nakukuha. Pero doon po sa tatlumpu na iyon ay medyo maganda naman ang indications, kaya lang ay hindi pa kami makapag-conclude kasi hindi pa kumpleto iyong study,” he said.
-FDA approval for Lagundi and Tawa-Tawa needed for clinical trials on COVID-
But the DOST Secretary said that they are still waiting for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve Lagundi and Tawa-Tawa so these could be used for the purpose of clinical trials on COVID-19. He said that FDA has approved Lagundi for cough treatment, but for this to be used for another disease is still being sought.
“Itong Lagundi, iyan naman po ay gamot sa ubo na aprubado ng FDA. Pero kailangan pala ng FDA approval uli kung ita-trial siya for another ailment or disease. Kaya hinihintay lang namin na mag-go signal ang FDA both in the case of Lagundi and Tawa-Tawa,” Dela Peña said.
Tawa-Tawa, on the other hand, is an approved health supplement to increase platelet count for dengue patients.
Dela Peña said that all three — VCO, Lagundi and Tawa-Tawa — have anti-viral properties which was why the DOST approved these for clinical trials.
-Drugs being used in COVID-19 clinical trials in PHL-
For other drugs, or non-natural products, the Philippines has ongoing clinical trials on Melatonin, Remdesivir, and Interferon, while the clinical trials for Ritonavir and Hydroxychloroquine have ended based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Doctors from the Manila Doctors’ Hospital proposed the clinical trial for Melatonin because they have observed that there was improvement when this was given to COVID-19 severe cases.
Dela Pena said that clinical trials for Melatonon had already been examined by the ethics board and recommended for trial.
WHO Solidarity Trials, of which the Philippines is a participant, are still ongoing for Remdesivir and Interferon. The DOH is already stocking up on Remdesivir after this drug has shown good results in treating COVID-19 patients.
But the DOST Secretary said that he would still want to see the results of the Philippine clinical trials on Ritonavir and Hydroxychloroquine since these drugs, particularly Hydroxychloroquine, a drug to treat Malaria, is affordable and is also being used by other doctors.
Dela Peña also said that there are still ongoing clinical trials for the drug Avigan, which was donated by the Japanese government, for the treatment of COVID-19. Avigan which is manufactured in Japan is the brandname of Favipravir, an anti-viral medication used to treat influenza in Japan.
(Eagle News Service)