Herbal Self-medication Practice for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Sudan: A Public Survey, 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in China in late 2019 with high rate of spread and transmission. As there was no recognized therapy many people worldwide used herbs in attempt to help their body overcome the disease.

This study aims to evaluate the use of herbs by patients with COVID-19 in Sudan and tries to identify a possible role in cure or lowering the severity of the illness.

A cross-sectional population-based online survey was done targeting those who experienced COVID-19 among Sudanese through an online internet-based questionnaire distributed on social media platforms (mainly Facebook and WhatsApp). Descriptive statistics used to summarize data and present it as frequency tables and graphs. Multivariate logistic regression was used to measure the association between independent variables (comorbidities and use of herbs) and the outcome variable reflecting the severity of the disease (hospitalization).

A total of 204 responses received from COVID-19 former and active cases. Typical symptoms of the disease were identified: fever (68.1%), cough (52.7%), shortness of breathing (59.3%), sore throat (76.5%), and loss of smelling and/or taste (67.2%). All the respondents reported using traditional herbs or plants for cure with strong statement of their usefulness. Citrus plants such as lemon, orange, and grape fruits, were the commonest, used by 94%, followed by the local herbs, acacia (65%), ginger (56%), baobab fruit (46%), hibiscus (45%), black seed (45%), and cinnamon (17%). Other used plants included onion (29%) and garlic (24%). An adjusted analysis found that obesity was associated with higher hospital admission, while using herbs had no effect on hospital admission.

All participants reported the use of herbs for cure beside other treatment. The most commonly used herbs were citrus fruits followed by acacia and ginger and other herbs. All participants stated that herbs were useful for their recovery, however our analysis revealed no significant effect on rate of hospitalization. We recommend further deeper, well-designed study to better assess the effect of herbs.