Ayush ministry starts clinical trials for traditional Ayurvedic medicine for coronavirus treatment

The health ministry has informed that the government has started the clinical trials for traditional Ayurvedic medicines likes Ashwagandha, Guduchi Pippali, Ayush-64, Yashtimadhu etc for its efficacy in treating the Coronavirus infections.

Union Health Ministry Dr Harshvardhan informed earlier today that the trials will be conducted on health workers and persons working in high rise areas. He stated that the health ministry and CSIR will be conducting these trials under the guidance of ICMR.

#WATCH …Clinical trials of Ayush medicines like Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi Pippali, Ayush-64 on health workers and those working in high risk areas has begun from today: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/dHKUMGCclX

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2020

The trials will be done as add-on standard care along with existing measures. “The clinical trial would be done as a joint initiative of Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science and Technology through Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) with technical support of Indian Council of Medical Research,” said Dr Harshvardhan.

He added that the Ayush ministry will study the impact and efficacy of Ayush based prophylactic interventions on selected groups.

Three interdisciplinary studies

The Union Health Minister, along with the Ayush ministry today launched three inter-disciplinary studies involving AYUSH interventions for the COVID-19 situation on 07th May 2020 in New Delhi. The studies include:

1. Studies on Ayurveda interventions as prophylaxis and as add-on to standard care in COVID-19
2. Population-based interventional studies on the impact of Ayush based prophylactic interventions
3. Ayush-Sanjivani app based study for impact assessment of acceptance and usage of Ayush based advisories in prevention of COVID-19

Traditional medicine for coronavirus treatment

It is notable here that China has been promoting the usage and studies involving traditional medicines for the treatment of coronavirus. As the Wuhan coronavirus has no proven cure so far in modern medicine. The efforts to develop a vaccine are on in many nations too, without any solid results so far.

China’s attempts to allow traditional medicine for the treatment of coronavirus has also received criticism around the world.

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina had been promoting cures based on the Artemisia annual, or the sweet wormwood plant for the coronavirus infection. The WHO has said that it supports the scientifically proven traditional medicine, adding that complementary and alternative medicine had many benefits. However, the WHO has also insisted on extensive studies for the efficacy and side effects of traditional medicinal plants.

After Andry Rajoelina’s promotion, many African nations have shown an interest on the plant and have reportedly ordered consignments of it.

In India, many Ayurveda experts, and practitioners have been stating that plants like Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Guduchi, Pippali etc, which are traditionally used for treatment of fever, cold and other infections and developing immunity, should be promoted and studied for their efficacy against the coronavirus.