Don't Get Misled by Claims That Herbal Remedies Can Treat TB - Here's the Fact

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Tuberculosis (TB) remains a disease with a high number of cases in Indonesia, where the country has been battling it for years.

Unfortunately, public knowledge about TB is still considered lacking, making efforts to control the disease quite challenging. Recently, the public was stirred by numerous influencers or social media celebrities claiming that herbal treatments can prevent and cure TB.

This content immediately sparked heated debates. Not a few netizens were curious about where these influencers got their information regarding herbs and TB. Some even accused it of being untrue information.

In response to the viral content, lung specialist Prof Dr dr Erlina Burhan, MSc, SpP(K) emphasised that this is misleading information. It could even become dangerous if patients or their families swallow it whole.

“As a lung specialist who handles TB patients every day, I feel the need to clarify. Claims like this are not only wrong but dangerous. I have seen firsthand how patients arrive in severe condition because they previously chose inappropriate ‘alternatives’,” Prof Erlina wrote on X, quoted from detikHealth, Saturday (21/3/2026).

According to Prof Erlina, to date, the only scientifically and medically proven way to cure TB is with Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs or OAT. This combination of drugs consists of Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, and Ethambutol.

“These drugs must be taken regularly for a minimum of six months. They must not be interrupted, let alone stopped midway. In my practice, the patients who recover are those who are disciplined in taking the medication until completion,” she said.

Ministry of Health: Don’t Get Misled!

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) spokesperson, Widyawati, urged the public not to get ‘misled’ in seeking information on TB treatment.

“TB disease can only be cured by taking specific antibiotics that kill the bacteria causing TB, namely anti-TB drugs or OAT,” said Widyawati, quoted from detikHealth.

According to the Ministry of Health, this treatment pathway is considered the safest and most reliable because it has undergone extensive scientific testing.

“And it is administered according to treatment standards by healthcare professionals,” added Widyawati.

The Ministry of Health is aware that there is still much misinformation circulating in society, so this needs special attention to avoid mistakes in handling TB.

“In society, there is indeed a lot of information circulating now that TB can be cured just by consuming herbal medicines. It must be understood that to date, there is no scientific evidence showing that herbal medicines can cure TB,” said Widyawati.

Former WHO Director Warns of Dangers

Even the former Director of Communicable Diseases at the World Health Organization (WHO), Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, spoke up and warned of the dangers of such misleading information.

Tjandra explained that the OAT used in various countries, including Indonesia, has undergone a long and rigorous research process.

“Starting from double-blind clinical trials, case-control trials, then continued with multi-centre studies in various countries, until analysed by international experts at WHO and in each country,” he explained.

With this process, the scientific validity of OAT is considered very high and accountable. Not only from the research side, OAT has also been used for years in various countries and proven to achieve the expected cure rates.

This differs from claims of using herbal remedies, which to date, lack strong scientific evidence for preventing or treating TB.

“If there is a claim that a drug is beneficial, it must follow scientific principles,” he stressed.

Tjandra emphasised that to date, there is no research proving that certain herbal medicines are effective for preventing or curing TB.

Therefore, the public is asked not to easily believe untested claims. Misleading information can have serious impacts if patients stop OAT treatment.

There are three risks from such herbal treatments, starting from the disease not improving, worsening respiratory conditions leading to risk of death, and increased unavoidable transmission to those around.

Additionally, stopping or replacing OAT with inappropriate therapy can trigger drug resistance, even developing into drug-resistant cases or multi-drug resistance (MDR).

Tjandra advised the public to always refer to health information from official sources such as WHO, the Ministry of Health, or professional organisations like the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI).

“Health is a very valuable asset, so its handling must be done correctly and based on scientific evidence, not just fleeting information,” he said.

Long-term TB Treatment

Erlina explained that TB is a disease that requires a considerable amount of time for healing. This is because the bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis grows slowly and can ‘dormant’ in the body.

“TB treatment cannot be simplified with herbal concoctions. Especially if patients stop taking medication and switch to herbal. In my experience, patients who do this often return in worse condition with drug-resistant bacteria,” revealed Erlina.

When drug resistance occurs, the condition becomes much harder to treat. It requires 18-24 months with more drugs, heavier side effects, and costs that are no longer cheap.

“Then what about preventing transmission? Herbal cannot be relied upon,” she said.

“TB germs spread through the air. When patients cough or sneeze, the germs can linger and be inhaled by others. Prevention is through coughing etiquette, wearing masks, maintaining distance, and a healthy lifestyle,” she added.

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