Medicinal plants as prevention and treatment of COVID-19

Abstract

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the absence of a cure or treatment during the first months of the virus propagation, the consumption of medicinal plants to prevent and treat this disease increased, due to the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties that these plants possess, according to people knowledgeable in the matter, they assure that they strengthen the immune system and the treatment of respiratory affections, allowing counteracting the COVID-19 symptomatology. Therefore, the objective of the study was to describe the names and preparation of these medicinal plants used as prevention and treatment of COVID-19. For this purpose, a descriptive research, quantitative approach, cross-sectional, non-experimental and field study was designed, which was executed in the population of the Toacazo parish, with a sample of 200 participants selected under inclusion and exclusion criteria, to whom the U-PlanMed questionnaire was applied with a Cronbach's alpha index of 0.82, reliability of 0.98. The data collected were analyzed in the SPSS statistical program, evaluated by means of descriptive statistics. The research complied with the ethical principles of the Helsinki declaration. The main results indicated that the most used medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 were 17.5 % eucalyptus and 12 % ginger; as a cure, 6.5 % ginger and 3.5 % eucalyptus were used. The most used part was the leaves prepared in 32% infusions, while the root was prepared in 19% infusions. These have been administered orally in 57.5 %. Therefore, it was concluded that the population of the Toacazo parish used medicinal plants as part of family tradition and cultural beliefs, which is why most of them have opted to use eucalyptus and ginger in infusions administered orally to prevent and treat the symptoms of COVID-19, due to their anti-inflammatory properties and effectiveness in treating respiratory conditions.