Coronavirus: NAFDAC tests 40 herbal drugs for possible cure

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, NAFDAC, has said that it is testing 40 herbal drugs for cure of coronavirus.

This was disclosed by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye.

According to her, there is no cure for coronavirus yet and that the testing of the herbal drugs is to ensure they are not harmful for use.

She said, “In March 2019, we inaugurated the Nigerian Herbal Medicine Product Committee (HMPC) to bridge the gap often created between traditional medicine practitioners and researchers.

“COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity and we have been encouraging traditional medicine practitioners to submit their herbal formulations for evaluation.

“We also developed guidelines on how to register herbal medicine online and the labelling of the product.

“Prof. Maurice Iwu’s application for approval of a herbal medicine for management of COVID-19, is also part of the 40 applications we are reviewing for safety.

“We use animal for safety test to ensure the formulation will not kill anybody.

“Until a clinical trial is done in a scientific manner, no herbal medicine manufacturer can claim cure or effectiveness to treat COVID-19 associated symptoms.

“I believe that Nigeria’s herbal medicines may be able to cure COVID-19.

“They have a lot of potential and it is time to translate research of herbs into products of proven safety and efficacy, for the benefit of our people.”