Abstract
Many claims from herbal medicines have been developed to manage COVID-19. Tests for identity and purity are important parameters in the quality assurance of herbal medicines. The aim of this study is to confirm the presence of Artemisia annua as a component of COVID-ORGANICS, an acclaimed herbal product for the management of COVID-19 in comparism with A. annua cultivated at NIPRD, Abuja, Nigeria. Pharmacognostic and physicochemical investigations, thin layer and high-performance Liquid chromatography of Covid-Organics along with A. annua were carried out using standard procedures. Similar microscopic features viz T-shaped, glandular, unicellular and uniseriate trichomes, wavy epidermal cells with anomocytic stomata and prismatic calcium oxalate crystals characteristic of A. annua were observed. Moisture, total ash and sulphated ash contents ranged from 8.5 ± 0.0 to 10.4 ± 0.2%w/w; 7.8 ± 0.5 to 12.1 ± 0.1%w/w and 9.7 ± 0.3 to 15.9 ± 0.4%w/w, respectively while water and alcohol soluble extractive values ranged from 20.6 ± 0.5 to 33.7 ± 0.7%w/w; and 23.4 ± 0.6 to 38.2 ± 0.6%w/w respectively. TLC and HPLC profiles showed artemisinin in evaluated samples. The findings confirm that Covid-Organics contain A. annua. The domestication of A. annua in Nigeria along with studies carried out has shown the capacity and technical know-how to develop a phytomedicine from A. annua for management of COVID-19 associated symptoms. This is possible with the provision of the enabling environment in order to provide medicines’ security. Relevant policies are therefore needed to prioritise the development of the sector. Key words: Covid-Organics, Artemisia annua, pharmacognostic studies, chromatographic fingerprint
Highlights
Documentation on the use of traditional medicine to manage viral infections is common in literature
Reports have shown that the use of Artemisia annua L. along with conventional orthodox medicines can be beneficial in the management of viral infections (Karamoddini et al, 2011)
It is native to many countries in Asia and Europe but has since been domesticated in the medicinal plant garden of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Nigeria towards the production of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies (ACTs) against Malaria (Figure 1) (Jegede and Brisibe, 2007; Jegede et al, 2012)
Summary
Documentation on the use of traditional medicine to manage viral infections is common in literature. In a controlled clinical study, supplementary treatment with traditional herbal medicine resulted in marked improvement of symptoms of SARS and shortened the disease course (Hsu et al, 2006). Reports have shown that the use of Artemisia annua L. along with conventional orthodox medicines can be beneficial in the management of viral infections (Karamoddini et al, 2011). Most common non-volatile compounds present in the aerial part are sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin and some of its biogenetic precursors arteannuin B and artemisinic acid, artemisin, dehydroartemisinin, artemisinol, scopoletin, chrysosplenetin, chrysosplenol D, casticin, dihdroxy-6-methoxyacetophenone, eupatin, sistosterol and coumarin 4-methylesculetin (Verdian, 2009; Zhu et al, 2013; Chougouo et al, 2016)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
