Commentary to the paper V.D. Tran, D.T. Pham, T.T.N. Cao, M. Bahlol, R.S. Dewey, M.H. Le, V.A. Nguyen. Perspectives on COVID-19 prevention and treatment using herbal medicine in Vietnam: a cross-sectional study (Ann Ig. 2022 Sept-Oct; 34(5): 515-531. doi: 10.7416/ai.2021.2484. E-pub Dec 9).

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought to attention the potential benefit of botanical drugs and supplements, although controversial efficacy claims are a concern (1) The lack of treatment options for COVID- 19 has led to many attempts to find alternative selfcare measures and unconventional remedies to prevent the transmission of the disease or to mitigate the progression of the infection (2). The use of medicinal plants, herbal products and food supplements has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as a private behaviour, with the risk of misinformation and misuse (3). This is true especially for lower-middle income countries, where traditional medicine is integral part of the culture and is more used than allopathic or western medicine: for these countries, medical plants are the primary source of healthcare, often selfadministered. About 80% of developing countries' populations still rely on traditional medicines (4).