Clinical trials on the use of lagundi (Chinese chaste tree) as a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) therapeutic or supplement continue and will be needing more volunteers.
This was disclosed by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña during his weekly report on Friday, Feb. 26.
Quoting the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), he said the clinical trials were on Stage 2 and the participants were being screened and recruited.
“The screening and recruitment of participants for Stage 2 of the study is ongoing,” de la Peña said.
He noted that as of Feb. 19, the project has enrolled a total of 75 participants from five study sites or quarantine facilities.
For the Stage 2 study, the target number of qualified volunteers is 200.
In July 2020, it was announced that the clinical trials for lagundi were approved by DOST-PCHRD. In April last year, the DOST started looking into the effectiveness of certain herbal medicines against COVID-19.
Lagundi is widely used as a cough remedy.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the clinical trials for lagundi as a supplemental treatment against COVID-19 in August 2020.