“Cat’s claw” is a herbal extract that prevents the Corona virus from reproducing in the laboratory … we know

Researchers from Colombia and Peru have shown that the herb Uncaria tomentosa A South American native known as “cat’s claw” has shown antiviral activity in the laboratory against Coronavirus.

The study, published on the website ” bioRxiv * “That the herb inhibits the reproduction of the Corona virus, and the researchers explain that it has already been used extensively as an immune modifying agent and that previous studies have shown that the extract has a range of effects on many viruses.

The team reported that the herb reduced the corona viral load in the cell line after just 48 hours of treatment, when performed in the laboratory.

The team wrote: “Based on our findings, it is considered U. tomentosa A promising medicinal herb to combat COVID-19However, it is necessary to continue with animal models followed by clinical trials to validate our findings in the context of Corona patients.

There are no effective vaccines or antivirals available

Ever since it was recognized SARS-CoV-2 For the first time in Wuhan, China, at the end of last year (2019), it became COVID-19 A global pandemic, which poses a serious threat to public health and the economy as the virus continues to spread at an unprecedented rate.

Although some candidate vaccines are being evaluated in clinical trials, there are currently no preventive treatments or antiviral agents available.

However, “At present, the World Health Organization is aware (WHO) That traditional, complementary and alternative medicine has many advantages and many candidates with potential antiviral effects from medicinal plants have been explored in the preclinical stage, “say the researchers.

The team suggests that preclinical evaluation of natural compounds that can prevent corona could lead to the discovery of new antiviral drugs and a better understanding of the viral life cycle, and medicinal herbs could become a promising option for addressing the ongoing epidemic. caused by COVID-19“.