Due to the spread of COVID -19, many people have turned. To using Thai herbs such as Andrographis paniculata and Krachai to fight COVID-19. However, doctors have recommended their appropriate use, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Andrographis paniculata-Fingerroot should be used with caution in pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Prof. Dr. Suradej Honging, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, provided interesting information. That the Krachai plant is currently being researched in mice. Eating too much will cause diarrhea. Selling it in the market cannot cure COVID. Meanwhile, the Director of Thai Traditional Medicine Research confirmed that Andrographis paniculata is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women. As for people who are hoarding it to prevent it. He warned that there are two sides to the coin. Using it for a long time has negative effects, such as low blood pressure, numbness in the arms and legs, and it affects the liver.
In the CLUBHOUSE circle, Breast Milk EP25, organized by the Breast Milk Center Foundation of Thailand, the Healthy Food Plan, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, opened a discussion topic on what medicines / herbs can be used with COVID-19, but should not be used in pregnant and breastfeeding women. There were many doctors who are experts in pediatrics and Thai traditional medicine joining the discussion.
Dr. Siraporn Sawasdiwor, President of the Thai Breast Milk Center Foundation and former Director of the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (Children’s Hospital), spoke about the problem of children infected with COVID since June-July 2021, finding that children under the age of 18 have increased very quickly, numbering in the tens of thousands. At the same time, there is a bottleneck problem of RT-PCR testing, waiting for a bed. While waiting, children do not receive medicine, even though they should receive timely treatment.
Dr. Kunthanit Wanarat, Director of Thai Traditional Medicine Research, Ministry of Public Health, said that medicines and herbs, especially Andrographis paniculata, have been upgraded to medicine status. However, there are indications for people at risk to give it as quickly and sufficiently as possible to deal with the virus quickly. The medicine should be given within 72 hours to people infected with COVID with mild, non-severe symptoms, people with risk factors or high-risk contact groups, such as those living in the same house as people infected with COVID, etc.
“Andrographis paniculata does not prevent infection from entering cells, but it can inhibit the multiplication of COVID-19 cells. Therefore, it is not recommended to take Andrographis paniculata to prevent COVID-19.”
Dr. Kunthanit mentioned that Andrographis paniculata contains andrographolide. It should be consumed in the amount of 180 milligrams per day, divided into 3 meals, and taken continuously for 5 days to be effective. The trend of hoarding Andrographis paniculata for prevention is like a coin with two sides: too much is not good, too little is not good. If consumed for prevention for a long period of time. It has negative effects because Andrographis paniculata is a medicinal plant with a cooling effect, causing blood pressure to drop, numbness in the arms and legs, and affecting the liver. Therefore, long-term consumption is not recommended. Only consume as much as necessary, which is appropriate.
“Eating it fresh, chewing it, or making it into tea is an ancient wisdom. We cannot measure andrographolide, so the amount may not be enough or too much.”
Dr. Kunthanit mentioned the prohibition of Andrographis paniculata for pregnant women. It may cause uterine contractions, leading to miscarriage or abnormalities in the baby. As for breastfeeding women, if they are infected with COVID, breastfeeding may be harmful to the baby. Therefore, breastfeeding women who are infected with COVID can stop breastfeeding for the time being. After taking Andrographis paniculata for 5 days. You can stop breastfeeding for 2-3 days before breastfeeding again.
While Dr. Phakakrong Kwankao, Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, mentioned that there are 3 groups of natural herbs: one that causes heat to the ยูฟ่าเบท https://ufabet999.app body. One that causes coolness, and one that is neutral. Therefore, the baby in the womb is like a living thing that has just grown, which can affect the baby. The ancient method of giving herbal medicine to pregnant women is to use it externally, or eat it in the form of food, such as sweeping the throat.
“Pregnant women should not take Andrographis paniculata. There are very clear studies that it caused experimental animals to give birth. The dose used to treat COVID-19 is very high. So it is not recommended for pregnant women. As for breastfeeding women, studies have found that the drug is eliminated from the body within 1 day. Therefore, you can take Andrographis paniculata for 5 days and breastfeed on the 7th day.”
Finally, Prof. Dr. Suradej Hong-ing, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, mentioned the white fingerroot plant, which is booming today. It was created in 2020 when the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, collaborated to research approximately 123 Thai herbs. It turned out that the results were 3 popular ones: Andrographis paniculata, ginger, and fingerroot. Of interest, there are Andrographis paniculata and fingerroot.
“We are interested in studying fingerroot and galangal because we eat fingerroot as food, unlike Andrographis paniculata, which is eaten as medicine. The two important extracts in fingerroot are Pandulatin and Pinostrobin, which can inhibit viruses from entering and leaving cells, unlike Andrographis paniculata.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suradej said that today, the research process of fingerroot is an experiment in mice. There is still no data on fingerroot testing in humans. The study showed that mice infected with COVID-19 who ate fingerroot were able to reduce lung inflammation quite well. Therefore, consuming any herbal medicine is a medicine that requires a very high dose. Therefore, it must be divided into three times a day, several times a day.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suradet mentioned that boiling fingerroot to eat, no matter how you eat it, you will not reach the dose, or grinding it into powder, it will not reach the dose either. The method of consuming herbs as medicine is to extract them.
“From the experiment on mice, if using fingerroot in humans, one day must eat no less than 600 grams of fingerroot per day, which is not known whether it is edible or not. This is preliminary information. In addition, eating a lot of fingerroot will cause diarrhea. Consuming fingerroot for treatment will cause bloating, diarrhea, stomachache, and abdominal mass.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suradet concluded by saying about the advertisement of fingerroot sold in the market that it is a water-extracted formula, which contains very low levels of Pandulatin and Pinostrobin. It is unlikely to be able to prevent or cure COVID.
“Consuming white turmeric as medicine in high doses is not recommended. However, we can eat turmeric as food. Today, we do not have any research data on turmeric.”