Relieving Symptoms of Long COVID with Thai Traditional Medicine and Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

Abstract

COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is a contagious respiratory disease spread by direct contact with respiratory secretion. When virus enters the body through respiratory system, the lung works by inducing cough to get rid of mucus. Symptoms typically include fever, cough, and sore throat that can be treated within 12 weeks. However, some patients who are not virally detected can have symptoms of tiredness, difficult breathing, loss of smell, and back pain. These symptoms are known as Long COVID which cause a huge impact on health. Medical treatment guidelines and Thai traditional medicine treatment guidelines focus on health care such as dietary,  sleep and exercise. Nevertheless, the treatment of Thai traditional medicine has also included Herbal steam inhalation to relieve Long Covid symptoms. Herbal steam inhalation acts directly on the respiratory system by using herbs that produce essential oil such as Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (Holy basil), a medicinal plant in LAMIACEAE family. Previous research showed that the holy basil essential oil can be absorbed to the lung through the blood brain barrier and rapidly binds to receptors in central nervous system, thus dilating blood vessels in the respiratory system and relieves symptoms. Certain studies found that holy basil can inhibit influenza virus (H₁N₁ and  H₉N₂) that are in the same group of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, herbal steam inhalation using Holy basil as an active ingredient can be able to reduce symptoms of Long COVID and improve the quality of life of the patients.