Madagascar’s covid-19 herbal drug can’t cure coronavirus as claimed —Nigerian govt 

Madagascar’s COVID Organics (CVO) cannot effectively cure coronavirus as claimed, the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) has said.

NIPRD disclosed this in its report on Sunday, after subjecting the herb to scientific analysis.

The report is coming two months after the herbal product was donated to Nigeria for Covid-19 cure by the government of Madagascar.

The country had donated the herbal tea to Nigeria through Guinea-Bissau President, Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

President Muhammadu Buhari had then instructed that the drug be subjected for verification before being administered to patients.

In its report on Sunday NIPRD said:

“Safety studies show that COVID ORGANICS (CVO) products do not alter the normal physiology of the animals.

“CVO caused a significant decrease in the platelet counts although the values are within the physiological range for Wistar rats.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt reveals findings on Madagascar’s COVID Organics

“The increase in alkaline phosphatase observed in the CVO female group may indicate a cause of concern although the values are within the physiological ranges for Wistar rats and this was not observed in the organs.

“On the whole CVO can be considered safe based on the model used which did not cover other routes of administration, effects of long-term use, or organ histological evaluation of the test systems.

“CVO reduced cough frequency with the maximum dose tested producing an effect equivalent to that produced by the centrally acting cough-suppressant, dihydrocodeine.

“To further characterise this product based on its effect on the respiratory tract, it will be important to investigate its effect on tracheal mucus expectoration.

“While CVO dose-dependently reduced general febrile response, the effect was not sustained and was less than for indomethacin.”

According to the NIPRD Director General, Obi Adigwe, Madagascar withheld valuable information about the herbal mixture.

Adigwe told reporters, “Well, I cannot tell you what they have done. I can only tell you what we have done here.

“The analysis we gave in our report is more detailed than anything that had come from their country. They are hiding the analysis of their own product. If you go online, you cannot get the level of analysis that we gave.”

Opinions