DOST to release herbal food supplement vs dengue

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from urging the use of a locally developed rapid dengue diagnostic kit, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will help promote the use of a herbal supplement to help dengue patients in the country fight and survive their ailment.

DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said the herbal food supplement for dengue fever developed by local herbal products manufacturer Herbanext has shown high efficiency in helping dengue fever patients recover.

He added that the research and development (R&D) of Herbanext to develop a cure for dengue was closely monitored by the DOST as it has been pursued with funding support by the DOST Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

The herbal formula, he clarified, is “not yet considered a drug because that requires two phases of clinical trials.”

“It is just a herbal supplement (as of now). No prescription needed. To be approved as a drug, it has to go through two phases of clinical trials. Only after getting good results from the clinical trials can they be submitted to FDA for approval as a drug. These take time,” dela Peña told The Star.

He said that, in the meantime, this can be marketed as a supplement as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already given its stamp of approval for this.

“The plants used to get the extracts have been known traditionally, historically to be of help to dengue patients,” he added.

Dela Peña said further clinical trials are already being done by Herbanext, still with DOST support, for it to get FDA approval as an effective herbal drug to treat dengue.

“A drug is currently being developed now out of two plant sources, but it has to pass through the clinical trials up to Phase 3. That will take some time,” he pointed out.

The herbal supplement for dengue is in capsule form, containing 324 milligrams of the herbal extract. The contents of the capsule can be dissolved in water if desired. The estimated price of each capsule is P15.

The DOST PCHRD said that the herbal supplement was expected to be available in the market within the month.