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A tonic was developed in Madagascar that, according to the government, works against viruses. Large amounts have already been given away to African countries, but from now on people want money for it. The WHO criticizes the omitted tests and that people can feel “immune” without reason if taken preventively.
Despite criticism from the World Health Organization (WHO), Madagascar’s great island state vs. East Africa appears as a supplier of a liquid that is supposed to cure plant-based Covid-19. Many African countries have already made official orders for the herbal blend called “Covid Organics” and picked them up by plane after Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina presented and drank the amber “medicine” at a press conference in April. According to him, it has been shown that several patients have been cured by the mixture.
The tonic (of which there is also the mixture of dried herbs to make tea) was developed by the State Institute for Applied Research and is essentially based on extracts from a plant of the genus Artemisia, which are daisies that we use under the names. Common mugwort and wormwood are known, which are particularly widespread in the northern hemisphere and are often considered weeds. In fact, many species of Artemisia have been known as medicinal and aromatic plants since ancient times due to their bitter substances and essential oils.
Annual mugwort is used to make anti-malaria drugs, recommended by the WHO. They are based on the substance artemisinin, which was first isolated in 1971; In traditional Chinese medicine, the plant has been used against malaria for a long time. Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou (now 89) received the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine for the production of artemisinin. There has been some success in cancer therapy, but only in clinical trials.
Motto: The main thing is that it does not hurt
Only a few species of Artemisia are found in Africa. According to the information, the subspecies was specifically used Artemisia annua, said annual mugwort, which is quite rare in Austria and grows mainly in Lower Austria and Vienna.
The new “medicine”, which exists and has been approved in addition to all internationally recognized testing procedures, has already produced and exported tens of thousands of dry bottles or mixtures, for example, to Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and both Congo countries. Guinea-Bissau is said to have received more than 16,000 units, but most of them will also be distributed to other countries, where the drug will not be tested for a long time, as it is said in Liberia. It is generally edible and is probably not harmful per se. that is why it is based on the motto “the main thing is that it does no harm”.
The president announces
So far, Madagascar has not asked for it; A legal adviser to the president told Reuters agency a few days ago that the drug would be sold from now on: the bottles are available in Germany for the equivalent of around 40 euro cents. “We can legally market this,” says Marie Michelle Sahondrarimalala. “Madagascar has received orders from government agencies in other countries, but also from private companies.”
President Rajoelina (45), who has experience as a DJ, organizer, head of an advertising agency and a television station, has been in office since January 2019, but had already come to power in 2009 through a coup of state and served as interim president until 2014, praising the effectiveness of Tonic. Meanwhile, the WHO advises caution: it should first be tested for side effects, initially its effectiveness. Isolated active substances are certainly useful against malaria, but not the plant per se.
WHO Chief for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said it was feared that people who took the potion as a preventive measure believed that they were immune to coronaviruses from now on and should therefore exercise caution in interaction Social.
Madagascar (around 27 million inhabitants) recently reported only around 200 crown cases and no deaths. However, the informational value of the rather poor medical system in the country is questionable.
(Reuters / Greber)
