Herbal remedies for COVID-19: What to know

But one of the biggest problems with using these herbs is that many herbal and natural remedies are of low quality.

Certain herbs, if misused, could boost the immune system.

As scientists around the world race toward finding an effective treatment and cure for COVID-19, the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) at Mampong Akuapem in the Eastern Region has started encouraging an alternative type of medicine to help those who get sick with the respiratory infection — traditional herbal remedies.

Using herbs for illness isn't a novel idea. For thousands of years, herbs like licorice and ginger have been used to treat respiratory infections like pneumonia.

Herbal remedies have long been used to treat infections and viruses, such as the common cold, influenza, fever, and even herpes.

Some are thought to enhance the immune system and put the body in a healthier position to fight infections. Others are believed to be powerful antivirals that block certain viruses from replicating in the body.

But just because we've seen some promise with other illnesses does not mean people should assume herbal remedies provide the same benefit with COVID-19.

Every virus is unique in its structure and behavior. The herbs that seem to work for other viral infections will need to be tested to see if they also hold up against COVID-19.

Historically, there’s been a major lack of evidence surrounding natural medicines.

For one, it’s been difficult to secure the necessary funding to study the health effects of plants and herbs.

Research has also been somewhat inconsistent. There are so many parts of a plant thus the root, stem, leaf, flower and it's hard to get studies that consistently analyze the same portion of a plant.

There were some herbal products that were strong and could boost one's immune system.