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© 2023 Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education & Research | Published by SPER Publication 80
Traditional medicinal herbs for healthiness and fitness during the
Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia: literature review
Nutrisia Aquariushinta Sayuti
1*
, Youstiana Dwi Rusita
2
1
Department of Pharmacy, Surakarta Health Polytechnic of Health Ministry, Surakarta, Indonesia.
2
Department of Pharmaceutical and Food Analysis, Surakarta Health
Polytechnic of Health Ministry, Surakarta, Indonesia.
Correspondence: Nutrisia Aquariushinta Sayuti, Department of Pharmacy, Surakarta Health Polytechnic of Health Ministry, Surakarta, Indonesia. nutrisayuti@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The spread of Coronavirus Disease-19 (Covid-19) has made the Indonesian people optimize their efforts to maintain health and fitness.
One of the efforts is traditional medicinal herbs, especially traditional Indonesian medicine or 'jamu’, used empirically to increase
immunity. The literature review aimed to describe the formula of traditional medicinal herbs in Indonesia to maintain health and fitness
during the Covid-19 pandemic. The literature review searched articles on Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The selected
articles were the last ten years' articles. The keyword was 'Covid-19 and herbs and immunostimulant or immunomodulator and
Indonesia'. The article was published the last ten (10) years, in English or Indonesian, and discusses traditional medicinal herbs for
maintaining health and fitness during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The selection was made by reading the title, abstract, and full
article to analyze the quality of the research. Data extraction was carried out to describe the formula's name, simplicia of the ingredients,
pharmacological activity, and secondary metabolites. The literature review found five (5) articles that met the inclusion and exclusion
criteria with thirteen (13) formulas. The formula was jamu, and the formula was from traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Each
formula contained simplicia that support each other's properties for health and fitness maintenance. The simplicity was used as an
immunomodulator, reducing the symptoms of Covid-19 and overcoming the comorbid factors that accompany the Covid-19 disease.
The government's efforts to increase the independent actions of healthy life in Indonesia can be supported by traditional herbs.
Keywords: Covid-19, Ingredients, Traditional, Health, Fitness
Introduction
The spread of the infectious Coronavirus Disease-19 (Covid-19),
which began in 2019, affected economic stability and education
in Indonesia, including the economic recession, the high
mortality rate of health workers, and the emergence of distance
learning. The first case of Covid-19 infection in Indonesia was
reported in March 2020 [1] . Covid-19 had been increasing in the
past two years until the Indonesian government issued a vaccine
policy to prevent Covid-19 starting in January 2021 [2].
Drug classification of Covid-19 consists of antiviral, antimalarial,
antidiabetic, glucocorticoid, antibiotic, antiparasitic, anti-
tuberculosis, antiasthma, antithrombotic, anticoagulant,
phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitory agent, anticancer
agent, human ACE2 agent, recombinant human
deoxyribonuclease (rhDNase) enzyme, immunotherapy and
convalescent plasma therapy (CPT). Adjuvant therapy using
supplements, nutraceuticals, and herbal medicines is also needed
to relieve symptoms and improve the healing process in patients
with Covid-19 [3, 4].
The use of medicinal plants in traditional medicinal herbs (called
"Jamu" in Indonesia) has increased during the Covid-19
pandemic in Indonesia. Some medicinal herbs or "Jamu" have
been used to maintain health and fitness, especially as
immunomodulators, although only limited to empirical evidence
[5]. The problem of immunity is closely related to health-related
quality of life (HRQoL), empowerment of patient/community,
and satisfaction with health care [6]. The differences in countries
and beliefs lead to the differences in HRQoL because it's related
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Website: www.japer.in E-ISSN: 2249-3379
How to cite this article: Sayuti NA, Rusita YD. Traditional medicinal herbs
for healthiness and fitness during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia: literature
review. J Adv Pharm Educ Res. 2023;13(1):80-92.
https://doi.org/10.51847/aFldpZuj5h