Clinical trial on the use of tawa-tawa (Euphorbia hirta) as an adjunctive treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients is just starting. 

This was relayed by Dr. Philip Ian Padilla of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato “Boy” de la Peña on Friday, March 26.

"Unlike sa lagundi na halos matatapos na sila, ang tawa-tawa clinical trial nagsisimula pa lang. (Unlike in lagundi clinical trials that they are almost finished, the tawa-tawa clinical trial is just starting),” he informed de la Peña when asked about the status of the tawa-tawa clinical trial after the latter’s weekly report.

"Hopefully, by April, nakarecruit tayo ng initial batch of patients lalo na sa Bacolod kasi mas marami na pasyente na nagkaroon ng mild at moderate [COVID} dito sa Western Visayas. (Hopefully, by April, we can recruit the initial batch of patients in Bacolod because there are many patients in Bacolod who caught mild and moderate COVID here in Western Visayas),” Padilla said.

He said the clinical trial for tawa-tawa has been slightly delayed “because of bureaucratic red tape.”

“Ngayon nagsisimula na ng recruitment ng mga pasyente, so it will take maybe another four to six months para makuha ang lahat ng datos. (Now, the recruitment of the patients is starting, so it will take maybe another four to six months to get all the needed data,” Padilla said.

Tawa-tawa is known as a supplement for dengue.

In April last year, the DOST started looking into the effectiveness of certain herbal medicines against COVID-19 such as lagundi and taw-tawa.