One would imagine that pandemic is a great time for doctors from all traditions to work together and bring healing to mankind. What seems to be happening currently in India, however, is that doctors from diverse backgrounds are battling over their suggestions. Today, every patient/ person knows that a Western doctor will advise him/ her supplements such as Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and more, for Covid-19 treatment. Then, we have the Ayurveda doctors who would suggest Giloy (Tinospora Cordifolia) or Mulethi (Licorice). And there’s the Arsenic Homeopathy Album that everyone knows about.
As the race for a cure or vaccine intensifies, medical researchers and doctors have been experimenting with different drugs to see if there is a possible cure for Covid-19. Alternative and complementary forms of medicine, like Ayurveda, are also being extensively studied. One of them is homeopathy, which is currently being investigated as a method of therapy.
However, the Ministry of AYUSH, in its latest guidance, issued an advisory to states across the country recommending the use of traditional homeopathic drugs, Arsenic Album 30 as a form of preventive medicine against Covid-19. Its prophylactic use has been advised in states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra, and has been used in high-risk areas in some locations. In areas like Bhopal, arguments were made when doctors said that mild Covid-19 cases had been successfully treated with homeopathy.
Besides this, a ground-breaking interim result of a clinical trial of Covid-19 patients has given rise to new expectations. The patients underwent natural treatment for Covid-19 in three hospitals and it was found that the combination treatment of Ayurvedic remedy was able to relieve some of the symptoms of Covid-19 earlier when compared to the conventional treatment.
The clinical trial was conducted in three different hospitals and the Covid-19 patients were given the combination treatment of an Ayurvedic remedy known as ‘Immunofree’ by the Corival Life Sciences, and ‘Reginmune’ by Biogetica which is a Nutraceutical. As per reports, the combination of these natural remedies produced better results when compared to the conventional treatment approved by the government for Covid-19. It was noted that none of the patients who were given the natural treatment progressed into developing severe symptoms or needed life support. The patients for this trial also included elderly patients (age up to 70 years) and those with co-morbidities, hence distinguishing this trial from others which made use of the natural treatment as it included broader criteria of patients.
Numerous countries and states that have adopted or mandated natural treatment for Coronavirus have shown mortality rates less than 1/10 of their neighbours. Goa and Kerala both have 1/10th the mortality rate of their neighbouring states. Madagascar, Central African Republic, Ghana and other countries which adopted Covid Organics have seen tremendous results compared to other African countries that did not adopt the natural treatment. WHO has now endorsed a clinical trial protocol for Covid natural medicines and this is one of the first studies proving natural medicine for Covid.
Of all the potential therapies, the antimalarial drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has also been used in the treatment and prophylaxis of Covid-19. However, there is no evidence yet that HCQ is effective for treating the virus, nor what doses and combinations might be effective. HCQ has to be used with precautions. It can’t be given to someone with heart issues. Even if you are a healthy individual it can cause cardiac risks in long term. Researchers found that the positivity rate was slightly more in people using HCQ as prophylaxis or preventive, than those who were not. Although there were over 4,000 trial subjects, complete data was available for 3,667, from which the study draws its conclusions. Of these, 1,113 were tested for the virus along with 539 others who developed flu-like symptoms. 20 subjects (1.8%) eventually tested positive. From the group tested, 755 used HCQ as a prophylactic. Of them, 14 subjects (1.9 %) tested positive for the virus, higher than 1.7 % positivity in those that did not take the drug. Healthcare workers from high-risk zones reported more symptoms than those from low-risk zones but there was no difference in positivity rates.
Ayurveda possibly focuses on lifestyle practices and immunity for cure and prevention of diseases. Herbs like Pushkarmool (Inula Racemosa), Dhamanaka (Artemisia Nilagirica), Pippali (Piper Longum), Kalmegh (Andrographis Paniculata), Bhumamalaki (Phyllanthus amarus), Ocimum Sanctum (Tulsi) and Glycyrrhzia Glabra (Liquorice) have been used extensively in many countries and found significant inhibition of the virus. They work on improving body’s capabilities like T cells and natural killer cells. So it will greatly improve the chances of recovery when the virus catches you. It may be argued that Ayurveda takes longer to potentially cure as compared to modern medicines, but they also usually have the advantage of lesser side-effects. We hope that along with modern medicine, Ayurveda could also be explored as a potential treatment/ prevention for Covid-19.
The writer is Medical Director at Biogetica.