Clinical Trials on Plant-Derived Medicines and Drug Supplements for COVID-19 Current Achievements and Future Directions

The COVID-19 pandemic had profound implications for the global healthcare sector and economy. Emerging from its aftermath, we have gleaned valuable insights that underscore the inadequacy of solely relying on allopathic medicines for our healthcare needs. The pandemic has highlighted the imperative to explore and enhance the utilization of traditional medicines on a large scale. Despite their ubiquity among the general public worldwide, particularly in developing and underdeveloped nations, traditional medicines have often been overlooked in the past. The post-COVID-19 landscape has witnessed a significant upswing in research efforts dedicated to identifying bioactive molecules and providing experimental validation for the traditional use of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants and plant-derived preparations, renowned for their immunomodulatory and antiviral potential, have proven effective in alleviating symptoms associated with COVID-19. Utilized globally during the pandemic, they played a pivotal role in mitigating the mortality and morbidity associated with the virus. Although numerous reports highlight the efficacy of such preparations in ameliorating the pathogenesis of COVID-19, comprehensive clinical data remains elusive. Recent times have witnessed an increase in clinical trials focused on evaluating the impact of herbal preparations as alternatives for managing coronavirus infections. This chapter presents a thorough review of herbal alternatives and ongoing clinical trials targeting COVID-19. It also discusses the current limitations and explores future possibilities in this evolving domain.