PGH COVID-19 clinical trials on virgin coconut oil finished by end of September —DOST

The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila is expected to complete its clinical trials on using virgin coconut oil (VCO) in treating COVID-19 cases by the end of September, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Sunday. 

DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said this development is timely because the country is facing challenges in getting a supply of tocilizumab, a drug used off-label in treating COVID-19 patients.

DOST's COVID-19 clinical trials on other medicinal plants including lagundi and tawa-tawa are also expected to be completed, he also said.

"I think end of September, tapos na itong VCO sa PGH at lagundi trials at tawa-tawa (VCO in PGH, trials on lagundi and tawa tawa will be finished by end of September)," Dela Peña said over Dobol B TV.

"Let's wait for around two weeks at makakarinig na tayo ng updates (we will hear updates)," he further pointed out.

A separate DOST clinical trial on VCO that was conducted in Sta. Rosa, Laguna showed that some patients who received the herbal medicine had faster recovery than those who didn't get the medicine.

"'Iyong VCO, lahat sila gumaling na on the 18th day. 'Yung hindi nabigyan, gumaling din pero on the 23rd day (Those who received the VCO recovered on the 18th day while those who didn't still recovered but on the 23rd day)," said Dela Peña.

In PGH, moderate and severe COVID-19 patients are participants in the clinical trials for VCO, he also explained. 

Aside from PGH, Valenzuela and Muntinlupa are also replicating the clinical trials on VCO as potential treatment for COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, Dela Peña said the study on melatonin as COVID-19 cure is still ongoing  because the Manila Doctors Hospital, which is leading the study, needs more participants. 

"Malaki (Manila Doctors Hospital) ang kanilang required participation and since these (melatonin) are really intended for severe cases kaya medyo matagal ang period ng trials," the DOST chief said as he announced updates for melatonin clinical trials.

(They need to expand their participation and this is really intended for severe cases so the period of trials will be longer.)

The Department of Health on Saturday reported 23,134 new COVID-19 cases, the second highest daily infections recorded since the start of the pandemic.

This brought the nationwide tally to 2,347,550 and active cases to 184,088.

The DOH also announced that total recoveries climbed to 2,126,879 with 27,024 new ones, the highest since April 18.

Meanwhile, 255 new fatalities pushed the death toll to 36,583. —KG, GMA News