Backgrounds: There is an increasing need to develop innovative strategies to combat the persistent threat of COVID-19. Natural products may help strengthen the body’s immune response to the virus, offering minimal side effects and lower treatment costs. This study aimed to assess and characterize the effectiveness of a galangal–cinnamon mixture in the management of COVID-19. Methods: This randomized controlled study enrolled 38 patients with RT-PCR–confirmed COVID-19, including 20 males. Nineteen patients received a galangal–cinnamon mixture in addition to the standard Egyptian COVID-19 protocol, without antiviral therapy, while the remaining 19 patients served as the control group and were treated with the standard protocol alone, also without antiviral therapy. Participants were allocated into two groups: Group 1 (galangal–cinnamon mixture; n = 19) and Group 2 (control; n = 19). Each group was further stratified into three age categories: 30–50 years, 51–70 years, and over 70 years. The herbal mixture was administered as sachets once daily for 10 days. Each sachet contained 2 g of powdered galangal (Alpinia officinarum) and 2 g of powdered cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum). Patients were monitored daily until clinical improvement, and follow-up assessments focused on time to recovery, type of oxygen therapy required, and overall clinical outcomes. Results: Patients were recruited in Egypt between September and December 2021. The mean recovery time was 11.5 days in Group 1, compared with 26.2 days in the control group. In Group 1, the mean recovery times were 9.7, 11.2, and 12.7 days among patients aged 30–50, 51–70, and over 70 years, respectively. In the control group, the corresponding recovery times were 23.8, 28.3, and 30.8 days. In Group 1, 94.7% of patients required conventional oxygen therapy combined with high-flow oxygen, while 5.3% required high-flow oxygen with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). In contrast, in the control group, 68.4% required conventional oxygen therapy plus high-flow oxygen, and 31.6% required mechanical ventilation. Regarding clinical outcomes, 84.2% of patients in Group 1 recovered, whereas 15.8% died. In the control group, 31.6% recovered, 26.3% died, 15.8% developed a chronic cough, 10.5% required ICU admission, and 15.8% experienced persistent fatigue. Conclusion: Natural products may offer a cost-effective and time-efficient approach to developing new therapeutic options. The galangal–cinnamon mixture showed considerable efficacy in alleviating mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms and appeared to provide meaningful protection against post-COVID syndrome. It may also exhibit antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and help reduce the need for multiple medications, thereby minimizing the risk of drug-related adverse effects. Recovery time was positively associated with age, as younger patients tended to experience milder disease and faster symptom resolution compared with older individuals.
Elgendy et al. (Sun,) studied this question.