ArticlePloS one2021
Use of medicinal plants for COVID-19 prevention and respiratory symptom treatment during the pandemic in Cusco, Peru: A cross-sectional survey.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers.
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Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 118 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of debunking interventions on endorsement of alternative medicine: a randomized controlled experiment in Peru.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Self-medication with herbal remedies and pharmaceuticals for COVID-19 among healthcare students in Maputo.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Metallo-herb complexes as emerging therapeutics: chemistry, synthesis approaches, and pharmacological insights.Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine · 2026Review
- Frequency of diseases and use of medicinal plants in adults in a rural Peruvian community.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Traditional Use of Medicinal Plants for Symptom Relief During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bulgaria.Plants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- "They were saying that it's the end of the world": Experiences of COVID-19 and beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine among refugees in Rhode Island, US.Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 2025Article
- The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medicinal Plants Consumption Among Iranian Households: Determinants and Consumption Patterns.Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran · 2025Article
- Phytochemicals in Drug Discovery-A Confluence of Tradition and Innovation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants for the prevention of COVID-19 in peruvian population: a cross-sectional study.Revista peruana de medicina experimental y salud publica · 2024Article
- Affectation of COVID-19 pandemic on the use and abundance of wild resources in Tabasco, Mexico: A qualitative assessment.PloS one · 2024Article
- Herbal Self-medication Practice for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Sudan: A Public Survey, 2021.Current therapeutic research, clinical and experimental · 2024Article
- Chamomile in combating SARS-Cov-2.Bioinformation · 2024Article
- Medicinal plants used in Gabon for prophylaxis and treatment against COVID-19-related symptoms: an ethnobotanical survey.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Article
- Discovery of Anti-Coronavirus Cinnamoyl Triterpenoids Isolated fromInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Use of medicinal plants during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Herbal supplements as treatment options for COVID-19: A call for clinical development of herbal supplements for emerging and re-emerging viral threats in Sub-Saharan Africa.Scientific African · 2023Article
- The use of herbal and dietary supplements for COVID-19 prevention: A survey among the public in a Malaysian suburban town.Journal of herbal medicine · 2023Article
- Role of Natural Products in the Management of COVID-19: A Saudi Arabian Perspective.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Use of home remedies for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease: An integrative review.Health science reports · 2023Article
- Dietary Supplement Consumption and Mental Health in Indonesian Adults During Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.Patient preference and adherence · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru has led to people seeking alternative treatments as preventives and treatment options such as medicinal plants. This study aimed to assess factors associated with the use of medicinal plants as preventive or treatment of respiratory symptom related to COVID-19 during the pandemic in Cusco, Peru.
methodA web-based cross-sectional study was conducted on general public (20- to 70-year-old) from August 31 to September 20, 2020. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire via Google Forms, it consisted of an 11-item questionnaire that was developed and validated by expert judgment using Aiken's V (Aiken's V > 0.9). Both descriptive statistics and bivariate followed by multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess factors associated with the use of medicinal plants for COVID-19 prevention and respiratory symptom treatment during the pandemic. Prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and a P-value of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.
resultsA total of 1,747 respondents participated in the study, 80.2% reported that they used medicinal plants as preventives, while 71% reported that they used them to treat respiratory symptoms. At least, 24% of respondents used medicinal plants when presenting with two or more respiratory symptoms, while at least 11% used plants for malaise. For treatment or prevention, the multivariate analysis showed that most respondents used eucalyptus (p < 0.001 for both), ginger (p < 0.022 for both), spiked pepper (p < 0.003 for both), garlic (p = 0.023 for prevention), and chamomile (p = 0.011 for treatment). The respondents with COVID-19 (p < 0.001), at older ages (p = 0.046), and with a family member or friend who had COVID-19 (p < 0.001) used more plants for prevention. However, the respondents with technical or higher education used less plants for treatment (p < 0.001).
conclusionThere was a significant use of medicinal plants for both prevention and treatment, which was associated with several population characteristics and whether respondents had COVID-19.
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