Three university doctors from Crete worked tirelessly in labs and gardens to create a revolutionary pill against fighting the common cold, flu and the H1N1 virus. Medicine Professors Dr. Ilias Kastanas and Dr. Christos Lionis along with Biology Professor Dr. Stergios Pyrintsos created the global patent that includes herbal extracts and fresh olive oil that is to be launched onto the pharmaceutical shelves by Olvos Science in collaboration with the union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Rethymno.

The non-prescription drug they created gathers the best of the bountiful Cretan earth that is to be offered at an affordable price to make it accessible to as many people as possible on the Greek market, whereas it is expected to also be made available in Europe and America over the next two years.

Dr. Ilias Kastanas

“We are now anxiously waiting for a name for this tablet that contains the wisdom of the Cretan earth in its ingredients,” says the medical team that created the anti-viral pill that fortifies the body and helps it to defend against viral infections.

The idea for the drug began 15 years ago when Dr. Lionis created an epidemiological study in southern Crete that showed that people who consumed herbal teas were less likely to suffer from colds and flues. The study published in the British Lancet in 1999 led the doctor to seek the antioxidant properties in herbs for future research.

A collaboration with the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Rethymno helped to exploit the properties of thyme, sage and dictamo (a plant endemic to Crete). When used in various combinations, these herbs helped fight particular classes of virus. Dr. Pyrintsos, who specialized in plants, helped in the scientific research.

“We started immediate trials on humans,” says Dr. Kastanas. “We took doses equivalent to two cups of herbal teas. And instead of putting any other oil to dissolve the extract of herbs, we put olive oil. Therefore, the first clinical trial with the new formulation was in winter of 2013, in a total of 100 people. Fifty took capsules with just olive oil and fifty capsules with a combination of olive oil with extracts of herbs. Indeed, the latter presented a smaller impact of respiratory infections, while we got from the throat saliva with a swab to see if the infections were caused by viruses or not. We saw that the final formulation helps against viruses – common cold, influenza, parainfluenza, and it is especially effective in strains of the virus H1N1. The results were spectacular, especially in the latter category. Therefore, we concluded that our product helps to quickly overcome the symptoms of influenza (20%). For example, if one does not receive treatment, the virus makes a cycle of seven days, while with the recommended dietary supplement, the virus disappears in just 4.5 days.”

The estimated cost for the drug is expected to be between 6-7 euros with each box having 14 capsules – less than one euro per day.