IN PARTIAL DEFENCE OF OONI AND HIS REMEDY WITH SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

A thread.

Many people have made mockery of @OoniAdimulaIfe's "solution" to the ongoing COVID-19 since yesterday including colleagues in the biomedical field.

For the records, about 11% of drugs on WHO... https://twitter.com/thecableng/status/1244726713910792193

...list of essential drugs have plant origin, even some more are semisynthetic whose parent compounds are of plant origin.

This implies that as ordinary and worthless we think these plants are, they have more values than you know. Without much ado, let's talk about the Ooni's...

... proffered remedy.

1. Neem tree
There is a handful of scientific researchers that have proven that neem tree and its parts, indeed, have antiviral activities. However, no research has reported its effect on COVID-19, perhaps, due to the fact that the virus is still nascent.

Some other works have proven that it helps in improving pulmonary inflammation (one of the serious symptoms of COVID-19). It's been reported to also contain some antioxidants which help improve the immune system.

2. Bitter leaf
Also called Vernornia amygdalina. It has been....

... scientifically reported to have immunological effect in viral diseases including HIV. It's also reported to have antioxidant activity which help to reduce ROS substances (which have adverse effects on your cells), therefore, increasing your body's ability to fight infections.

3. Onions
Like the two above, onions contain large amount of antioxidants such as quercetin which is a flavonoid. Flavonoids have been widely reported to have immunomodulatory effects. It has effects on both antibody production as well as cell-mediated immunity.

Onions also...

.... contain large amount of vitamin C, a well known powerful antioxidant that helps in immune boosting.

Apart from immunity, onions also have direct antiviral activity on influenza viruses which present some similar symptoms as COVID-19.

4. Tetrapleura tetraptera
It has also been reported to have reported to have antiviral activities, although, on a mildly zoonotic virus of poultry. In addition, it has been scientifically proven to inhibit a pathway that causes damage in the kidneys, liver and lungs which are...

...also present in severe and complicated cases of COVID-19.

5. Sulfur
This substance has been reported to be a major contributor to the antiviral activities of some compounds. Hydrogen sulfide has also been reported to have a wide spectrum of antiviral activity against ....

...viruses. In fact, a company had applied for patent for the production and use of sulfur-based antivirals which have been reported to have broad spectrum of activities.

With all these scientific journals reporting different ways these substances have proven to be medicinal,...

...it would be ignorant of anyone to declare Ooni's "solution" as out of place without first subjecting it to scientific research.

On the other hand, I can't disregard the irrefutable need for scientific investigation of the toxic and therapeutic effects of these substances.

We need to investigate his assertion in order to prove or disprove it with empirical evidence.

Let's value our own and look for how to sell it to the world. Thank you for reading.

END.