NATIONAL Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) has said COVID Organic otherwise known as Madagascar Drug cannot cure COVID-19.
The Director-General of NIPR, Dr. Obi Adigwe, made the disclosure at the weekend while submitting a report to the federal government after laboratory assessment of COVID Organic.
He said, “I cannot tell you what they have done; I can only tell you what we have done here.
“The analysis we gave in our report is more detail than anything that had come from their country.
“They are hiding the analysis of their own product; if you go online, you cannot get the level of analysis that we gave.
“They are hiding a lot of things and I think it is possible that they know that they don’t have strong science backing up their claim.
“You know science takes time and it also needs a lot of money. That is what most people don’t understand.”
“COVID ORGANICS – Green Pack (GPA) and Orange Pack (OPB)
herbal products contain Artemisia annua as one of the components; both samples have the characteristic features of Artemisia annua similar to those of the plant grown in NIPRD.
“COVID ORGANICS (OPB and GPA) contain other plants in addition to Artemisia annua. The proportion of Artemisia annua in the product is higher than that of the other plant component(s).
“Unlike the impression created by the labelling, the two COVID ORGANICS products are not the same with GPA sweeter with a higher extractive value than OPB.
“The HPLC and TLC profile of COVID ORGANICS products indicated the presence of artemisinin.
“Artemisinin was detected in the hot water infusion of the COVID ORGANICS products at a very low concentration and undetectable in one of the products.
“Hence, preparing the infusion as directed on the label produced very little artemisinin.
“CVO caused a significant decrease in the platelet counts although the values are within the physiological range for Wistar rats.”
“The increase in alkaline phosphatase observed in the CVO female group may indicate a cause of concern although the values are within the physiological ranges for Wistar rats and this was not observed in the organs.
“On the whole CVO can be considered safe based on the model used which did not cover other routes of administration, effects of long-term use, or organ histological evaluation of the test systems.
“CVO reduced cough frequency with the maximum dose tested producing an effect equivalent to that produced by the centrally acting cough-suppressant, dihydrocodeine.
“To further characterize this product based on its effect on the respiratory tract, it will be important to investigate its effect on tracheal mucus expectoration.
“While CVO dose-dependently reduced general febrile response, the effect was not sustained and was less than for indomethacin.”
The NIPDR, however, said it has prepared its own product which is likely to be ready for presentation within the next six months.
“There is one product we have that is having a lot of promise.
“We have finished passing it through the pre-clinical studies. Where we are now is that we are trying to package it for the clinical trial and that is a great deal of work. We are moving in a forward direction.
“We have hope that the product will give a succor.
“There has been some positive progress, but not to the stage that we can be categorical about it. But there has been some progress.
“We have submitted a letter, they have asked for concept note and we have done that and also submitted full proposal. There are some positive progress but there hasn’t been any release of funds so far.
“If things all come together and we get the needed funding, within the next six months, we should be able to have something categorical within,” Dr Adigwe said.
