Like many other viruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can cause ongoing symptoms, now known colloquially as long COVID. Long COVID refers to the long-term health and cognitive effects from a SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The list of symptoms range in the hundreds, but the most commonly reported are fatigue, shortness of breath and cognitive dysfunction.
A House of Representatives inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID Infections was informed that Australia needs to acknowledge the significant long COVID problem it is facing. The country’s leading experts addressed the issues that are being experienced during a roundtable discussion at Parliament House in Canberra on 17 February 2023. Professor Brendan Crabb AC, Burnet Institute Director and CEO, told the public hearing that “the likelihood of half a million Australians or so with long COVID now needs to be acknowledged.” He described long Covid as a “very serious issue now”.
Academic medical journals suggest that long COVID patients require an integrative health approach, one that combines traditional medical management, non-pharmacological approaches and behaviour and lifestyle changes. This makes long COVID well suited to naturopathic and herbal practice. In relation to this a review article, published in February this year, found that patients experiencing long COVID may use nigella (Nigella sativa) as adjunctive therapy, in combination with symptomatic treatment and supportive care, to prevent further deterioration and hospitalisation. The article said nigella has shown potential anti-COVID, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antiasthmatic properties in various clinical, animal, in-vitro, in-vivo, and in-silico studies, which would help patients recovering from COVID-19 to reduce long COVID complications. The article also stated the necessity for randomised controlled clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of nigella in patients with long COVID.
References
HEC The Naturopath’s Guide to Long COVID
Australia’s long COVID problem needs to be acknowledged. c2023 Burnet Institute (updated 20 Feb 2022; accessed 23 Mar 2023). Available from https://www.burnet.edu.au/news/1729_australia_s_long_covid_problem_needs_to_be_acknowledged
Pakkir Maideen NM, Hassan Jumale A, Ramadan Barakat I, Khalifa Albasti A. Potential of Black Seeds (Nigella Sativa) in the Management of Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) and Persistent COVID-19 Symptoms - An Insight. Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2023 Feb 23. doi: 10.2174/1871526523666230223112045. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36825730.
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