Can fingerroot, a medicinal herb, be used to prevent or treat COVID-19? No, that's not true: There have been studies on its possible role as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent, but to date no clinical study has been carried out on man and further tests would have to assess safety and eventually determine the right dosage, in case a treatment based on this plant was to be approved.
The claim originated from a video (archived here) published on TikTok on April 28, 2022.
It opened:
Fingerroot enhances the immune system and inhibits COVID-19.
(Translation from Thai to English by Lead Stories staff).
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Tue Oct 31 09:16:08 2023 UTC)
According to the claim on TikTok, a Thai plant called fingerroot (Boesenbergia rotunda) can be used to prevent and fight COVID-19. Research from Mahidol University, in Thailand, in 2020 showed Boesenbergia rotunda or fingerroot extract and its component Panduratin A to be anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. These results have been proven by comparison tests with FDA-approved drugs already, but studies are still in the preclinical phase. It was announced in 2020 that further research and an in-depth analysis of cellular functions would be carried out before moving on to clinical trials. The purpose would be to look for more evidence and develop it into a treatment for COVID-19.
However, according to Sure and Share, a fact-checking TV Program produced by Thai News Agency, because this is still in the preclinical phase, scientists still need to confirm the safety of the treatment and the right dosage to be administered. Moreover, fingerroot also has adverse side effects if patients take it inappropriately, such as negative effects on the liver.
In summary, fingerroot has shown promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties, but as of now, it has not been tested to be safely used on man to prevent or treat COVID-19.
