BRADENTON, FL – Thailand’s decision to clear use of Andrographis paniculata as an herbal medicine to treat COVID-19 is a move that bodes well for the global botanical industry, according to Annie Eng, CEO of HP Ingredients, the maker and supplier of patented ParActin® A. paniculata.
Recognizing that the FDA and other international health regulatory bodies prohibit such an association, Eng believes this is a pivotal event that may have tremendous impact for continued, more earnest research into herbs such as Andrographis paniculata can benefit human health, especially in times of need for supportive therapies.
On December 30, 2020, Bloomberg reported that Thailand’s health ministry approved the consumption of A. paniculata to treat the early stages of COVID-19 as the country was enduring a particularly intense outbreak. The herbal extract was approved to serve as an alternative medicine to reduce treatment costs as well as to decrease the severity of the contagion. It is now available for adults aged 18 to 60 with minor symptoms. The Thai health ministry supported this allowance by noting that human trails demonstrated condition improvement within three days of consuming the herb when it is taken within 72 hours of a positive test outcome.
“Thailand is leading the world in allowing use of A. paniculata as a botanical implement to optimize immune function,” Eng said. “We support the nation’s decision to justify this use by conceding that human clinicals with favorable outcomes show worthwhile cause to do so.”
Eng also noted that two new human clinicals were on-going for ParActin® both showing efficacy for supporting immune function in times of stress. One in Chile is a continuing open-label clinical trial that is evaluating and defining effects of consuming ParActin® 150 mg daily for three months in front line health care workers to evaluate the efficacy of ParActin® in reducing the incidence of contracting Covid-19 and common cold.
The second study, also in development, has 4 arms: 600mg of ParActin®,1200mg of MaquiCare, combination of 600mg of ParActin® with 1200mg of MaquiCare maqui berry extract (also from HP Ingredients), and a placebo group. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study will give the combination to 357 men and women who have upper respiratory tract challenges for seven days and evaluated Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 total severity scores to determine efficacy.
Eng commented, “We expect this study to confirm the efficacy of the Thai study on Andrographis, and we expect to see the unique synergistic combination of ParActin® A. paniculata and MaquiCare maqui berry will exert an ability to stabilize immune function, thereby improving longer-term resistance.”
She added, “Continual research into botanical uses for common health and wellness goals is critical for the industry to evolve to meet the needs of consumers globally. There isn’t just ‘one breakthrough study’ but a steady stream of studies showing the same result time and again that will strengthen the persuasive case for more valuable use of botanicals more straightforwardly in human health.”
About HP Ingredients
HP Ingredients (HPI), a woman-owned corporation founded in 2001, shows and tells the enriching stories of health-promoting botanicals sustainably sourced globally. HPI researches, manufactures and supplies safe, unique, branded, patented, clinically proven herbal extracts with complete traceability. One of HPI’s main powers is the reinvestment into new research and certifications of its signature ingredients, collaborating with globally prestigious universities and research institutions. Signature ingredients include LJ100®, ParActin®, Bergamonte®, MaquiCare®, CitruSlim®, IQ100™, BlissCare™, NoMax®, NeuroActin®, and ProteoActin™. Visit www.hpingredients.com.
