Vietnam prescribes Asian herb Andrographis for COVID-19 treatment

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has decided to use Andrographis, an Asian herb, to treat COVID-19 patients on a trial basis.

Andrographis is produced in a pill form. (Photo: laodong.com.vn)

Andrographis is produced in a pill form. (Photo: laodong.com.vn)

The ministry has added the drug extracted from the herd to the treatment regimen of COVID-19 patients who show no or mild symptoms, according to Nguyen The Thinh, director of the Traditional Medicine Administration under the MoH.

Thinh says Andrographis is popular in Vietnam and many other Asian countries. The plant is used to treat colitis, cough, dysentery, fever, influenza, and sore throat.

Thailand, China and some countries have used Andrographis and found this drug can inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Vietnam expects the drug will help treat patients with early symptoms and reduce the severity of COVID-19, Thinh says.

He reveals that only one firm in Vietnam is producing this drug and the Traditional Medicine Administration is considering licensing one or two more firms to engage in this production process.  

“We are encouraging the firm to speed up production so that about one million pills will be delivered to Ho Chi Minh City next week,” Thinh says.

According to the health official, Vietnam needs at least five million pills of Andrographis to treat tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients at present.

“It’s hard to supply such a large amount at present, but the problem will be solved out in the coming months when more producers are licensed and materials are in abundant supply in September or October,” he states.

Á ò 06am July 24 Vietnam has logged 83,242 new cases following the resurgence of the virus in late April, and 86,957 cases since the onset of the first outbreak in the country.

VOV

Other News

Hanoi ready to implement Capital Law 2026, unlocking new development momentum

Hanoi ready to implement Capital Law 2026, unlocking new development momentum

The effectiveness of the Capital Law 2026 will be measured not by the number of legal documents issued but by tangible improvements in governance and public administration, better services for people and businesses, faster administrative procedures, stronger investment attraction and higher economic growth.

Vietnamese students earn honours at ROBOG Asia Cup 2026

Vietnamese students earn honours at ROBOG Asia Cup 2026

Three teams from Chu Van An Secondary School in Vietnam’s Thai Nguyen province have earned First Prize honours and advanced to the quarterfinals at the ROBOG Asia Cup 2026, a regional robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) competition for students held in Hong Kong, China.

Hanoi sets out new investment blueprint with century-long development vision

Hanoi sets out new investment blueprint with century-long development vision

As of early June, Hanoi had attracted 74.6 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) through more than 9,250 valid projects. FDI inflows in the first six months were projected at 3.2 billion USD, surpassing the annual target by 116%, while nearly 16,000 new businesses were established in the first five months, up 34.4% year-on-year.

Vietnam promotes legal cooperation and rule of law at global forum

Vietnam promotes legal cooperation and rule of law at global forum

Vietnam’s development and international integration have gone hand in hand with the improvement of its legal system, the incorporation of international commitments into domestic legislation, and legal reforms aimed at fostering development, openness and global integration. The country regards international law as an essential instrument for building fair, mutually beneficial relations among nations.

Hanoi to hold investment promotion event on June 29

Hanoi to hold investment promotion event on June 29

At the event, Hanoi authorities plan to grant investment policy decisions and investment registration certificates to 20 exemplary projects in the fields of transportation infrastructure, industrial parks, urban development, social housing, environment, science and technology, and foreign investment attraction.

Hanoi's Red River urban area development draws widespread attention

Hanoi's Red River urban area development draws widespread attention

Located south of the Red River and extending from the historic inner city to newly developing areas in the south and the west, the central urban area along Red River’s right bank covers approximately 45,317 hectares and is projected to accommodate around 6.365 million residents by 2045 and 6.455 million by 2065.

Hanoi's Red River urban area development draws widespread attention

Hanoi's Red River urban area development draws widespread attention

Located south of the Red River and extending from the historic inner city to newly developing areas in the south and the west, the central urban area along Red River’s right bank covers approximately 45,317 hectares and is projected to accommodate around 6.365 million residents by 2045 and 6.455 million by 2065.

Regional cooperation strengthened to combat cross-border drug crime

Regional cooperation strengthened to combat cross-border drug crime

Vietnam, China, Laos and Myanmar face common challenges as drug syndicates increasingly exploit the Mekong River, cross-border transport networks, e-commerce platforms, international logistics services, cyberspace and cryptocurrencies to organise drug transactions and smuggling operations.