Current best evidence for clinical care (more info)
The outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global health crisis. Nevertheless, no antiviral treatment has yet been proven effective for treating COVID-19 and symptomatic supportive cares have been the most common treatment. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of propolis and Hyoscyamus niger L. extract in patients with COVID-19. This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 50 cases referred to Akhavan and Sepehri Clinics, Kashan university of medical sciences, Iran. Subjects were divided into two groups (intervention and placebo). This syrup (containing 1.6 mg of methanolic extract along with 450 mg of propolis per 10 mL) was administered three times a day to each patient for 6 days. The clinical symptoms of COVID-19 such as: dry cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chest pain, fever, dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea were reduced with propolis plus Hyoscyamus niger L. extract than the placebo group. However, the administration of syrup was not effective in the control of nausea and vomiting. In conclusion, syrup containing propolis and Hyoscyamus niger L. extract had beneficial effects in ameliorating the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 disease, in comparison with placebo groups.
| Discipline / Specialty Area | Score |
|---|---|
| Family Medicine (FM)/General Practice (GP) | |
| General Internal Medicine-Primary Care(US) | |
| Infectious Disease | |
This is an interesting small (50 subjects) double-blinded placebo controlled RCT of combination of two traditional herbal medications to treat symptoms of Covid-19 in out-patients. There are possible mechanisms related to both components, and the results seem to warrant larger trial, but at this point this have to be regarded as hypothesis-generating.
If true, it appears this concoction of "bee glue" and medicinal herb H. niger can diminish most symptoms of COVID-19. In conjunction with one of the vaccines, treatment might not only diminish symptoms, but also lessen serious illness and contagion. This is a small, but interesting, study.
The use of Hyoscyamus niger (medicinal herb) as a sedative and pain killer in traditional medicine, and the antitussive effects demonstrated in the RCT may be beneficial for symptomatic relief of patients with COVID-19.