Investigation of the Use of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products for COVID-19 Prevention and Respiratory Symptoms Treatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: With the lack of specific treatment against COVID-19, Sri Lankans were seeking alternative treatment options such as herbal medicines as preventive measures and treatment options against COVID-19. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of such alternative treatment options usage by Sri Lankans during the pandemic and to assess the self-perceived effectiveness and adverse effects of herbal medicines from the participants’ perception. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among the general public. Data was collected using a questionnaire. A total of 804 participants were included in the study. Descriptive analysis was performed for all variables. A Chi-square test was performed to determine the association between the studied variables. Results: Among the participants, 90.4% reported using herbal medicines as preventive measures against COVID-19, and 86.7% used them to treat respiratory symptoms. Coriander and ginger were the most commonly used medicinal plants as preventives and in the treatment of respiratory symptoms. These herbs were perceived to be effective in alleviating respiratory symptoms by more than 85% of their users. A minority of the consumers (15.4%) experienced adverse effects associated with the use of herbal medicines as preventive measures. The use of herbal medicines as preventive measures was associated with the participant's age (p = 0.032) and education level (p <0.001). Conclusion: The study highlights the perceived effectiveness of some medicinal herbs in treating respiratory symptoms and recommends future research to isolate the compounds with potential pharmacological effects and conduct clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of the most commonly used plants.