The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Wednesday said mild COVID-19 patients who received herbal remedy Lagundi during clinical trials quickly recovered their sense of smell.

During the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing, Secretary Fortunato Dela Pena said data analysis on the critical trial of Lagundi was to end in June.

Dela Pena said a total of 278 patients experiencing mild COVID-19 symptoms from Quezon Institute, Philippine National Police-NCR Quarantine Center, UP-Diliman quarantine center and four other areas were included in the trial.

“First, all of them recovered. Our participants were divided into two: One those who were given Lagundi; the other is those who were given placebo or did not contain Lagundi,” he said.

“The difference is those who received Lagundi, their sense of smell quickly returned,” he added.

Dela Pena said common symptoms of a COVID-19 patient are loss of taste, loss of smell, cough, sore throat, fever (and) difficulty in breathing.

“They are also the ones who quickly recovered from the symptoms,” he said.

“The overall finding is that they took between seven to eight days before they all recovered and there were no adverse effects,” he added.

Dela Pena said if the clinical trial will show good results, they will recommend to the Department of Health (DOH) to continue trials for moderate cases.

He added it is possible for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to indicate Lagundi as a remedy for COVID-19 mild cases.

Dela Pena clarified that Lagundi is not the cure for COVID-19.

“The medicine is different from the vaccine. What is good with Lagundi is it is easily available, cheap, and we can plant it on our own,” he said.

As to the clinical trials of virgin coconut oil, Dela Pena said the results are set to be released in July. Ella Dionisio/DMS