The Use of Herbal Teas as a Preventive Measure Against COVID-19 in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

COVID-19 is an infectious viral disease which affects on respiratory system. Since ancient times, numerous plants have been utilised to treat infectious diseases. Respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases are common symptoms of COVID-19. Fatigue, Headache, flu, cold, shivering or fever, having no taste, cough, cold, asthma, diarrhoea, sore throat, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties are all common COVID-19 symptoms. The study aims to analyse dietary therapy and herbal teas for COVID-19 prevention in District Quetta, Pakistan. In this study questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 200 people of Quetta. The traditional people, including males and females, were interviewed. Furthermore, herbal tea plant specimens were collected, identified, and preserved in the herbarium of SBKWU Quetta. The information was explored on 60 plant species belonging to 31 families to treat symptoms regarding coronavirus disease 2019, like as chills, cough, fatigue, pain, sore throat, illness, asthma, constipation, loss of taste and smell. The majority of medicinal herbs were purchased from the local marketplace. According to our results Lamiaeae family was discovered to be the dominant one based on the local species family using 7 varieties. The Leaves were the main plant part, accounting for 20%, followed by leaves (15 %) of all usage. Ocimum basilium, Myristica fagrans, and Plantago major had the highest use value (0.05); the plant species with the top 10 ranked use values are Camellia sinensis, Mentha spicata, Allium sativum, and Vachellia nilotica (0.04) for each. The highest use report was calculated for Ocimum basilicum, Myristica fragrans (10 UR for each). Camellia sinensis had the highest RFC value (0.01), and (100 % FL) was calculated for Camellia sinensis, Phyllanthus emblica. This study clarifies that medicinal plants are still used for medicinal purposes, especially for the administration of COVID-19, plus sustaining them to be included in upcoming clinical and pre-clinical research used for the development of COVID-19 herb medicines.