CLARK FREEPORT – The herb locally known as “tawa tawa” has become a serious matter for the Department of Health (DOH) which is now considering the proposal of herbalist and former Health secretary Jaime Galvez Tan to fund a research on it as possible panacea to the fatal bleeding among dengue victims.
Health Assistant Secretary Elmer Punzalan said here yesterday that the Philippine Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PTAHC), an agency under the DOH, is now coordinating with Tan on the latter’s proposal for a P20-million research fund to finally establish whether the herb arrests bleeding, which is the main reason why dengue victims die. The herb is said to prevent hemorrhaging by normalizing platelet count in the blood.
Latest DOH reports indicated that dengue cases in the country have already breached the 90,000 mark this year.
Punzalan bared this in a press conference during the launching here of a two-day Generics Medicines Expo for Luzon, a joint project between the DOH and the National Center for Pharmaceutical Access and Management (DOH-NCPAM), in partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Supermalls).
It aims “to boost and sustain advocacy on quality affordable medicines through generics use and its role and importance in improving wellness and compliance of patients to treatment regimens.”
Earlier, Dr. Eric Tayag, chief epidemiologist of the DOH, dismissed the herb as cure for dengue as not enough research on it has been done. He was also quoted to have warned that the herb encourages frequent urination that could lead to dehydration.
A nurse who attended the expo project but asked not to be named, noted, however, that while dehydration could readily be countered by taking “oresol” solution orally, blood loss in dengue patients could be remedied only through the “tedious and more expensive process of blood transfusion.” She expressed support to fund research on the herb.
Tan has publicly endorsed the use of “tawa-tawa”, scientifically known as Euphorbia hirta since the country started to be confronted with serious dengue cases annually.
“It’s about time government invests. I agree with more honest labeling, but government should not just regulate but also put money in research,” he said.
Tan said some P20 million would be needed for research to find out the genuine efficacy of tawa-tawa. Half of the cost would be used for random clinical trial, he noted.
In the absence of any direct treatment for dengue, Tan has also cited other natural remedies including red, orange, and yellow-colored natural fruit juices which are rich in anti-oxidants, and vitamins A and C which could boost immunity against dengue virus.
He noted that juice from boiled kamote tops, kangkong tops, sili leaves, malunggay, and saluyot are also anti-inflammatory.
Tan also advocated the intake of one tablespoon of virgin coconut oil three times a day, saying that the oil has been proven to be an effective anti-viral by destroying viruses.
“We are taking his proposal on ‘tawa-tawa’ seriously,” Punzalan said, even as he also bared ongoing studies being done by the Department of Science and Technology to develop a vaccine against dengue.
Punzalan noted that Western countries are not interested in doing pharmaceutical research for a vaccine or antidote to dengue since the ailment, carried by mosquito Aedes Agypti, is common only in tropical countries such as the Philippines.
Health Assistant Secretary Elmer Punzalan said here yesterday that the Philippine Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PTAHC), an agency under the DOH, is now coordinating with Tan on the latter’s proposal for a P20-million research fund to finally establish whether the herb arrests bleeding, which is the main reason why dengue victims die. The herb is said to prevent hemorrhaging by normalizing platelet count in the blood.
Latest DOH reports indicated that dengue cases in the country have already breached the 90,000 mark this year.
Punzalan bared this in a press conference during the launching here of a two-day Generics Medicines Expo for Luzon, a joint project between the DOH and the National Center for Pharmaceutical Access and Management (DOH-NCPAM), in partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Supermalls).
It aims “to boost and sustain advocacy on quality affordable medicines through generics use and its role and importance in improving wellness and compliance of patients to treatment regimens.”
Earlier, Dr. Eric Tayag, chief epidemiologist of the DOH, dismissed the herb as cure for dengue as not enough research on it has been done. He was also quoted to have warned that the herb encourages frequent urination that could lead to dehydration.
A nurse who attended the expo project but asked not to be named, noted, however, that while dehydration could readily be countered by taking “oresol” solution orally, blood loss in dengue patients could be remedied only through the “tedious and more expensive process of blood transfusion.” She expressed support to fund research on the herb.
Tan has publicly endorsed the use of “tawa-tawa”, scientifically known as Euphorbia hirta since the country started to be confronted with serious dengue cases annually.
“It’s about time government invests. I agree with more honest labeling, but government should not just regulate but also put money in research,” he said.
Tan said some P20 million would be needed for research to find out the genuine efficacy of tawa-tawa. Half of the cost would be used for random clinical trial, he noted.
In the absence of any direct treatment for dengue, Tan has also cited other natural remedies including red, orange, and yellow-colored natural fruit juices which are rich in anti-oxidants, and vitamins A and C which could boost immunity against dengue virus.
He noted that juice from boiled kamote tops, kangkong tops, sili leaves, malunggay, and saluyot are also anti-inflammatory.
Tan also advocated the intake of one tablespoon of virgin coconut oil three times a day, saying that the oil has been proven to be an effective anti-viral by destroying viruses.
“We are taking his proposal on ‘tawa-tawa’ seriously,” Punzalan said, even as he also bared ongoing studies being done by the Department of Science and Technology to develop a vaccine against dengue.
Punzalan noted that Western countries are not interested in doing pharmaceutical research for a vaccine or antidote to dengue since the ailment, carried by mosquito Aedes Agypti, is common only in tropical countries such as the Philippines.
