Indonesia Eyes Ties with Japan, Russia Pharma on Eucalyptus-Based Anti-Coronavirus Products

BOGOR, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture is discussing future collaborations with two pharmaceutical companies from Japan and Russia to introduce eucalyptus-based roll-ons, balms, inhalers, aromatherapy essential oil, and antivirus necklace which the latter aims to prevent the spread of Covid-19, said a ministry official.

“We are in discussions with two big companies Kobayashi Pharma and Aptar Pharma,” said the ministry’s Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangtan) Head Fadjry Jufry during a press conference in Bogor, West Java on Monday, July 6.

Fadjry said the Russian drugmaker has been promoting its own products in 30 countries.

“We are currently discussing royalty and other things,” he said, adding that the ministry has registered the invention of its four eucalyptus products to the patent and trademark office in Singapore, Malaysia, and India. 

Fadjry's office will continue to develop a clinical test on eucalyptus products in a bid to ensure its health benefits as a potential antiviral for coronavirus treatment.

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The test has only reached the in-vitro diagnostics in the laboratory. The results of this stage have shown that eucalyptus has antiviral activity against influenza virus and coronavirus, namely gamma and beta corona.

He said that the test showed that eucalyptus was able to kill 80 to 100 percent of the influenza virus and coronavirus. The main active component is found in cineol-1.8 which becomes antimicrobial and antiviral through the M pro mechanism. M pro is the main protease (3CLPro) of the coronavirus which is a potential target in preventing coronavirus from replication.

In the domestic market, the agriculture ministry has collaborated with PT Eagle Indopharma which is ready to promote the eucalyptus products such as roll-on, inhaler, and aromatherapy necklace.

It expects to begin promotional activities for the roll-on and inhaler at the end of July, while the aromatherapy necklace will be introduced in August.

The products have been registered with the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) and have obtained product marketing authorization as traditional medicine, not an antivirus.

(Writer: Yohana Artha Uly | Editor : Sakina Rakhma Diah Setiawan)

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2020/07/06/150400926/pasarkan-produk-eucalyptus-kementan-jajaki-kerja-sama-dengan-jepang-dan-rusia-?page=2.