Geographic Information Database of Herbs against COVID-19 in Thailand: The Medicinal Plants those Folk Healers Commonly Used for Treatment and Boosting People's Immunity

Abstract

The rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has demonstrated the need for the development of new vaccine candidates and therapeutic drugs to fight against the underlying virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, no antiviral treatment is available to treat COVID-19, as treatment is mostly directed at relieving the symptoms, and retrospectively, herbal medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years as a medicinal alternative, including for the treatment of various viral illnesses. The aim of this study is to conduct a survey in terms of identifying the area where the population commonly uses the medicinal plant in comparison to the cumulative number of COVID-19 reports in each area, including the classification of medicinal plants by type and a stepwise approach shown in the form of geographic information maps in those areas. An observational study on the cultivation of medicinal plants those folk healers commonly used for healing. beneficial for treatment and strengthening the immunity of the people in 9 provinces of Thailand. According to the situation of the spread of COVID-19, there are people infected in Thailand. In each area where medicinal plants were used, there was a significant positive result when compared to the cumulative COVID-19 incidence; the majority was with the lowest cumulative COVID-19 incidence and the most commonly used medicinal plants, such as Artemisia annua, Harrisonia perforate (Blanco) Merr, Capparis micracantha, Tacca leontopetaloides, Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus emblica, Ficus carica, Tiliacora triandra, Terminalia bilaria, and Cannabis indica. This study exercise may lend enough credence to the potential value of Thai medicinal plants (herbs) as possible leads in anti-COVID-19 drug discovery through research and development.