Ayurveda drugs could be effective in mild, moderate cases of COVID-19: AIIA report

A team of doctors from the Delhi-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) under the Ayush Ministry has found that Ayurveda interventions like Ayush kwatha and Fifatrol tablets can be effective in mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 infection in a “very short period” with “complete regression of symptoms”. Use of four Ayurveda interventions – Ayush kwatha, Sanshamanivati, Fifatrol tablets and Laxmivilasa rasa not only improved the condition of COVID-19 patients but also turned the rapid antigen test negative within six days of treatment, according to a case report published in the journal of AIIA ‘Ayurved Case Report’ in October. Presently, there is no specific cure for the disease that has infected over 44.7 million people and claimed 1.17 million lives world over. Citing the case of a 30-year-old male health worker infected with coronavirus, the report said his infection was managed with Samshamana therapy that included oral administration of Ayush kwatha, Sanshamani vati, Fifatrol tablets, and Laxmivilasa rasa. The patient, after testing positive for COVID-19, was advised home quarantine. “The mentioned treatment plan was effective in the symptomatic relief (fever, dyspnea, anorexia, fatigue, anosmia, and dysgeusia) as well as in the resolution of viral load, as the patient tested negative in the RAD for COVID-19 within six days of intervention and RT-PCR test was also done on day 16, which was reported negative,” the study said. Herbal drug Fifatrol developed by AIMIL Pharmaceutical helps fight infection, flu and cold. It has immunity strengthening herbs like guduchi, sanjeevini ghan vati, daruharidra, apamarga, chirayata, karanja, kutaki, tulsi, godanti (bhasam), mrityunjaya rasa, tribhuvana kriti rasa and sanjivani vati. Ayush Kwatha is a combination of four medicinal herbs commonly used in every Indian kitchen – basil leaves (tulsi), cinnamon bark (dalchini), Zingiber officinale (sunthi), and krishna marich (Piper nigrum). Sanshamani Vati (also called guduchi ghana vati) is an ayurvedic herbal formulation used for all types of fevers. Laxmivilas Rasa is a traditional herbomineral medicine that mainly contains Abhrak Bhasma and cures cough, cold and rhinitis. It soothes the throat and sinuses. The report has been authored by Dr Sisir Kumar Mandal, Dr Meenakshi Sharma, Dr Charu Sharma, Dr Shalini Rai and Dr Anand Morefrom the AIIA. “The present case study proved the efficacy of Ayurveda interventions in mild-to-moderate case of COVID-19 infection in a very short period with complete regression of symptoms,” the report said. The treatment was personalised, holistic, and purely based on Ayurvedic principles, and no conventional medicines were used. With this case study, it can be inferred that Ayurveda has vast potential to address COVID-19 and such other pandemics; a large sample-sized, multi-center randomized and controlled clinical studies are the need of the hour," the report said.