Fact Check : Can Asthma plant cure Corona Virus?

A post on social media claims that Asthma plant can cure Corona Virus.

Claim: A post on social media site X(earlier twitter) claims that Asthma plant can cure Corona virus.

The link to the post is here.

Fact Check:

The claim is False.

What is Corona Virus?

Coronaviruses are a type of virus. There are many different kinds, and some cause disease (1). A coronavirus identified in 2019, SARS-CoV-2, has caused a pandemic of respiratory illness, called COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.(2)

Symptoms:

Symptoms show up in people within two to 14 days of exposure to the virus. A person infected with the coronavirus is contagious to others for up to two days before symptoms appear, and they remain contagious to others for 10 to 20 days, depending upon their immune system and the severity of their illness. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.

Risk factors :

Speaking to the Medical Dialogues team, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli, Chest Specialist explained "Based on current evidence, risk factors for developing COVID-19 in adults range from demographic factors, such as older age, male sex, and ethnicity, to the presence of underlying diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Similarly, it has been reported that younger children and specific comorbidities such as obesity are at higher risk for infection and potentially more severe consequences of COVID-19 . In addition to these factors, the major risk factors for the severity and mortality of COVID-19 also include laboratory indices, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and complications. "

Incidence:

India reported over 8.1 million confirmed cases as of October 31, 2020. Out of these, around 7.4 million patients recovered, while 1 22,154 were fatal.(3)

What is Asthma plant?

Asthma Plant scientifically known as Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta )(named for their traditional use in treating asthma symptoms) is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal parasitosis, etc.), bronchial and respiratory diseases (asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, etc.), and in conjunctivitis. Hypotensive and tonic properties are also reported in E. hirta. The aqueous extract exhibits anxiolytic, analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory activities. The stem sap is used in the treatment of eyelid styes and a leaf poultice is used on swelling and boils.(4)

Can Asthma plant cure Corona Virus?

There are no scientific evidence to support the fact that Asthma plant can cure Corona virus. Some studies do show that it has anti-inflammatory properties but for curing COVID, no scientific evidence is found.

Al-Snafi et al mentioned that pharmacological studies showed that Euphorbia hirta exerted antioxidant, antimicrobial, sedative anxiolytic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antihistaminic, antiasthmatic, antidiabetic, anticancer, wound healing, gastrointestinal, diuretic, ant parasitic, immunological, hepatoprotective, galactogenic, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting and anti-dipsogenic activities.(5)

Tuhin et al reported several pharmacological properties including antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antispasmodic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anticonvulsant, nootropic, antifertility and aphrodisiac properties have already been reported for this plant.(6)

No studies supported the claim that Asthma plant can cure Corona virus.

Responding to the claim Dr Mrigakshi Aggarwal, Pulmonologist, Sanjeevan Hospital clarified " There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the "Asthma plant" (commonly referred to species like Euphorbia hirta) can cure the coronavirus (COVID-19). While some traditional uses of the Asthma plant include treatments for respiratory symptoms associated with asthma, these uses do not translate into effectiveness against viral infections such as Covid 19.Using plants or unverified treatments for COVID-19 can be ineffective and potentially dangerous. It's crucial to follow guidelines from trusted health organizations and consult healthcare providers for COVID-19 management."

Medical Dialogues Final take:

The claim that the "Asthma plant" or Euphorbia hirta can cure the coronavirus is not supported by scientific evidence. It does have some anti-inflammatory properties but the claim that the asthma plant can cure the Corona virus is completely False.

References:

1.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus

2. https://www.who.int/europe/emergencies/situations/covid-19.

3.COVID-19-India. COVID-19 India Dashboard. Retrived from https://api.covid19india.org/documentation/csv/. 2020.

4.Kumar S, Malhotra R, Kumar D. Euphorbia hirta: Its chemistry, traditional and medicinal uses, and pharmacological activities. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010 Jan;4(7):58-61. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.65327. PMID: 22228942; PMCID: PMC3249903.

5.Al-Snafi, A. E. (2017). Pharmacology and therapeutic potential of Euphorbia hirta (Syn: Euphorbia pilulifera)-A review. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy, 7(3), 7-20.

6.Tuhin, R.H., Begum, M., Rahman, M. et al. Wound healing effect of Euphorbia hirta linn. (Euphorbiaceae) in alloxan induced diabetic rats. BMC Complement Altern Med 17, 423 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1930-x