COVID research into wormwood gives Bosnian herbalist a boost

Petar Mihic holds wormwood at his plantation in Ljubinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina October 13, 2020. Picture taken October 13, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

After years of struggling for business in the sunny southeastern corner of Bosnia and Herzegovina, herbalist Petar Mihic's phone hasn't stopped ringing since German scientists discovered that sweet wormwood might help treat COVID-19.

The Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam conducted a study in cells in May which showed the common herb could help combat the disease that has claimed more than one million lives worldwide.

Bottles of syrup are seen at a producing line of Pharmamed in Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina October 15, 2020. Picture taken October 15, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

"In recent months, the demand has risen more than ever before. Many people have contacted me from Germany," Mihic told Reuters at his plantation near his hometown of Ljubinje.

There's a long way to go before sweet wormwood, or artemisia annua, is proven to help treat COVID-19.

Clinical trials are underway in Mexico, with results expected in the next 2-3 months, Peter Seeberger, director of the Max Planck Institute, told Reuters.

Managing Director Professor Peter Seeberger of Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces poses for a picture in Potsdam, Germany, October 15, 2020. The institute tests Artemisia annua plant extract and artemisinin derivatives in laboratory cell studies against the novel coronavirus. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

"Cell studies show that the pure substance artesunate as well as aqueous and ethanolic extracts of one-year-old wormwood act against the coronavirus at the cellular level," he said.

"The idea is to use these substances from wormwood in the body to block the multiplication of the virus and at the same time make the patient's illness milder."

But with few treatment options, some people and companies are prepared to bet on sweet wormwood before trial results.

An employee of the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces prepares a laboratory test in Potsdam, Germany, October 15, 2020. The institute tests Artemisia annua plant extract and artemisinin derivatives in laboratory cell studies against the novel coronavirus. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

While Mihic uses traditional techniques to prepare tea and extracts of wormwood to sell on the internet, Bosnia's leading pharmaceutical producer of herbal medicines is planning to launch similar products on a larger scale.

Pharmamed, based in central Bosnia, has conducted its own tests of the herb and is now awaiting approval from the country's scientific institute to go into production, it said.

"We will produce tea from sweet wormwood and aqueous and ethanolic extracts, which have so far shown the best effects in treating COVID-19," said Sejla Mehic, Pharmamed's development director. "When the studies are done, we plan to expand the programme to include solid forms (tablets and capsules)."

An employee of the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces prepares a laboratory test in Potsdam, Germany, October 15, 2020. The institute tests Artemisia annua plant extract and artemisinin derivatives in laboratory cell studies against the novel coronavirus. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic in Ljubinje and Lucas Kuite in Potsdam; Editing by Mark Potter)