Emergence of Ethnomedical COVID-19 Treatment: A Literature Review

Abstract

The emergence of COVID-19 as a new pandemic in the modern era has led the public to a new perspective of health. In the earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many factors made people go on their own ways in finding its supposed "cure". With conventional medicines' limited availability and access, traditional medicines become more appealing due to its widespread availability and increased perception of safety. Several herbal medicines are then believed to be able to alleviate or cure COVID-19 and its symptoms. Similarities and patterns in herbal medicines being used show local wisdom of the respective communities regarding their knowledge of diseases and its treatment, known as ethnomedicine. Despite not being approved yet by regulatory bodies as a definitive guideline in COVID-19 management, the application of ethnomedicine results in several herbal medicine candidates that show a promising result regarding its efficacy in managing COVID-19. This literature review aims to study how a society and its knowledge of medicine responds to a new and currently developing disease, and whether if that knowledge merits further study in search of a cure for the pandemic. Furthermore, the narrative aspect in this review also explores socio-politics and public health aspects and considerations of non-conventional COVID-19 treatment.

Herbal Medicine Uses for Respiratory System Disorders and Possible Trends in New Herbal Medicinal Recipes during COVID-19 in Pasvalys District, Lithuania

“…The traditional knowledge associated with medicinal plants nowadays is gaining importance worldwide, due also to the emergence of the new disease of COVID-19 [ 5 ]. In the winter of 2019, a new SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in patients with pneumonia in Wuhan, China.…”

“…Very often, it is difficult to classify these diseases because they vary in severity and are highly dependent on the age of the patient. Although most of the ethnobotanical research on plants potentially acting on the respiratory function and against COVID-19 symptoms has been performed in countries where primary health care is difficult to access [ 11 , 12 ], general upward trends in traditional medicine are also seen in developed countries [ 5 ]. According to ethnopharmaceutical research conducted thus far, respiratory diseases come first or second in Lithuania as the indication group for using ethnopharmacological preparations [ 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

“…The limited availability and accessibility of conventional medicine during COVID-19 have made traditional medicines more appealing due to their wide availability and increased position of safety. Several herbal medicines are believed to alleviate or cure COVID-19 and its symptoms [ 5 ]. Despite some preliminary study of the available herbal medicine preparations and their curative effects on COVID-19, experts still fear that improper use of such homemade medicines could do more harm than good to people relying on unproven alternatives of questionable efficacy [ 5 , 9 ].…”

“…Several herbal medicines are believed to alleviate or cure COVID-19 and its symptoms [ 5 ]. Despite some preliminary study of the available herbal medicine preparations and their curative effects on COVID-19, experts still fear that improper use of such homemade medicines could do more harm than good to people relying on unproven alternatives of questionable efficacy [ 5 , 9 ].…”

“…The therapeutic effects of herbal preparations are often underestimated, but the potential for overdose is also underestimated, especially when the nearest health care professional is not readily available. Critical and scientific study of the traditional treatment for COVID-19 may also act as the basis of counternarrative and education in response to the growing body of misinformation surrounding alternative COVID-19 treatment [ 5 ]. In addition, the analysis of archival sources can help to find possible trends in new herbal medicine recipes for and after COVID-19, based on traditional Lithuanian medicine.…”