Herbal treatment in high demand amid Covid threat

Herbal treatment in high demand amid Covid threat

Wang Tha Chang community members tend kariyat plants in Prachin Buri's Kabin Buri district. (Photo: Manit Sanubboon)
Wang Tha Chang community members tend kariyat plants in Prachin Buri's Kabin Buri district. (Photo: Manit Sanubboon)

PRACHIN BURI: There is a growing demand for kariyat herb powder, better known in Thai as fa thalai jone, ever since it was widely recognised as being effective in treating the symptoms of Covid-19 disease.

And the Wang Tha Chang community in Kabin Buri district is cashing in on the demand.

The Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Muang district of this eastern province played a leading role in introducing sick patients who thought they had Covid-19 to kariyat (Andrographis paniculata), also known as green chiretta.

Kariyat was later recommended by many other herbal experts as being effective in treating the viral infection. 

As a result, Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital has been flooded with orders for kariyat in capsule form. Kariyat has been distributed to field hospitals throughout the country to treat patients with mild-to-moderate Covid symptoms. Drug stores also report a huge demand for  kariyat capsules.

Kariyat has become a household plant as people grow it for their own use.

Many local people say that if they have a cough, sore throat or a fever, they soon recover after taking kariyat.

With the herb in such  high demand, the Wang Tha Chang community enterprise in Kabin Buri district is growing kariyat and supplying it to Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital for use in its treatments.

Sunthorn Thongkham, the community leader, said that when the plant is two months old its stems, branches and leaves are harvested, chopped up and dried in the sun. The dried herb is then ground into powder, which is put in capsules for sale.

The price is 80 baht for 100 capsules.

Mr Sunthorn said people who are interested in growing kariyat for their own use can view a demonstration plot at the Wang Tha Chang community enterprise in tambon Wang Tha Chang, Kabin Buri district, or call 089-2465268 for information.

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