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DOST braces for immediate completion of Stage 2 lagundi clinical trials

Philippines | National

DOST braces for immediate completion of Stage 2 lagundi clinical trials

By Charissa Luci-Atienza

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is bracing for the immediate completion of the Stage 2 of clinical trials on the use of lagundi (Chinese chaste tree) as a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) therapeutic or supplement.

DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said on Monday, April 12, with the inclusion of more trial centers, the lagundi clinical trials will be expedited.

(FLICKR / FILE PHOTO)

"In fact, ang pinakamalaking contributor ngayon ng participants ay quarantine centers sa Quezon City. Kaya ang target nila na 200 sa kanilang Stage 2 ay siguro ay in a few weeks ay matatapos na ‘yan (In fact, the biggest contributor of participants now is the quarantine centers in Quezon City. Their 200 target participants for Stage 2 may be competed in a few weeks,” he said during the televised Laging Handa briefing on Monday.

During his weekly report on Friday, April 9, de la Peña said over 150 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients have been enrolled to participate in the Stage 2 of the lagundi clinical trials.

In late March, Dr. Cecilia Nelia C. Maramba-Lazarte of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila announced that the lagundi clinical trials are expected to be completed soon.

She said they completed the Stage 1 of the trials or the dose-finding and safety study at the Quezon Institute and at the PNP Camp Bagong Final Special Care Facility.

In July 2020, it was announced that the clinical trials for lagundi were approved by DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (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.

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