While snobs may snigger at the claims of the Ministry of AYUSH — Ayurveda, yoga, Unani, Siddha, Sowa rigpa and homoeopathy — for propounding ‘pseudoscientific’ medicines and biologists may want to know the biochemical reactions in the body that ayurvedic preparations induce, here is a result of a sample survey conducted by the ministry.
Vaidya (ayurvedic doctor) Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, AYUSH ministry, has demonstrated that in a survey of 6,210 people who had come in contact with COVID patients, most of 3,585 volunteers tested negative while in quarantine after taking an ayurvedic preparation.
The preparation is called Amrita Peya. Taking the decision of prophylactic (preventive) medicine in early March in the public interest, the ministry has so far distributed 1,05,00,041 doses among the people for free.
Further, the government has distributed 1.72 lakh tablets of Shamsham Vati, another ayurvedic preparation that boosts the immunity to fight attacks by foreign bodies like viruses, bacteria and other harmful microbes on the body.
Of the more than 6,000 subjects, 2,625 chose homoeopathy rather than Ayurveda. Including these people, the ministry distributed 76.72 lakh units of the homoeopathic medicine Arsenicum Album 30 so far.
Only 11 of them tested COVID-positive after three days while the dosage should ideally continue for seven days. All the rest tested negative after completing the dosage, the AYUSH ministry official says in this presentation (video above).
The 11 who had tested positive could be administered the drug for three days only because their 14-day quarantine period, within which the study had to be conducted, had come to an end. This experiment was carried out in April.
But thereafter, these 11 patients said they wanted the dosage to continue. In seven more days, with the dosage resumed, they were cured.
The Ayurveda, yoga, Unani, Siddha, homoeopathy approach:
Ayurveda, homoeopathy treatment to be widened
Last week, ThePrint had reported that the Ministry of AYUSH had planned to conduct a study on 50 lakh people to find evidence of the efficacy of alternative medicines to fight COVID-19 whereas the video shows the plan had been announced and, hence, there was nothing for the media to discover as part of its investigative journalism.
The AYUSH ministry has indeed formed a working group on 17 April, comprising eight officers led by the additional secretary in the ministry, PK Pathak, to design the format of the study.
“We are planning to conduct a population-based study on a huge number of people to collect evidence and strengthen the use of AYUSH interventions,” Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, AYUSH ministry, said.
The working group will consult the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide training to its researchers for the study. “… The study will be divided into three parts — general public, frontline workers and Covid-19-positive patients,” a senior official from the ministry said anonymously. “We have already received the approval of 1,80,000 people for participation through state governments. Many more nominations are coming,” he said.
The official said that the design of the study had been made in consultation with various epidemiologists and health experts, including those from the Indian Council of Medical Research, Public Health Foundation of India and the National Institute of Epidemiology.
Further, the ministry also plans to conduct clinical trials on traditional herbs Ashwagandha, Guduchi and Mulethi to find out if they can prevent COVID-19.
Disclaimer from Ministry of AYUSH
The Ministry of AYUSH issued a clarification on its advisories, one of which appears in a portable document file (PDF) above. “These measures are advised based on the principles of approach in (the) respective medical system(s) to such viral diseases where respiratory involvement is evident. These advisories neither claimed effective treatment for coronavirus nor suggested any specific drug to combat coronavirus. The personal hygienic measures and a few herbal preparations which may be helpful to maintain health are indicated in the advisory. It was also advised that the use of these preparations should be done in consultation with registered practitioners from the respective systems of medicine,” the ministry said.
“In this regard, it was learnt that certain news reports from media and medical professional bodies did manipulate and tried to malign the image of AYUSH systems of healthcare and tried to create distrust among the public towards these medical systems. The world is trying to find some help for the pandemic of coronavirus. There is no cure possible as of now. In this situation, any little help from any corner shall be welcomed. The effort of AYUSH Advisory may be seen from this right perspective,” the ministry said in a release via Press Information Bureau.
It is not a RCT on double blind . Further, subjects are put to a test whether contracted covid 19. It is not that they were positive and they were cured. Moreover, it can be 100% sure that those around 6000 people had really come into contact with covid 19 positive. Let’s up put it first scientifically and than claim efficacy.
I agree
Let the snobs,cynics and skeptics say whatever they like, the information and instructions of the5000 old system is really very helpful in this time of difficulty. Modern system stand helpless or lie surrendered. Still they don’t approve and asks for scientific proof. The5000 years old Ayurveda doesn’t need the approval from a 50 years old system.
Proof is irrelevant,but result and effect are important.
Very good and useful information
Ayurvedic, Homeopathy may also successfully treat people beside Allopathy……..
Ventillator and ICU are not Allopathy, its only a life support system and not medicine……if a person is following all norms of quarintine etc. of govt. agencies and only want that he may be treated by Ayurvedic system of medicine from his known Ayurvedic physician at govt. center and his known ayurvedic physician (may be vaidya) is also ready to come there and at no cost to hospital or govt. agencies, and in presence of govt. agencies….will he be permitted…..as now allopathy also has nothing confirm treatment…..if it is possible please issue notification as then only other treating medical knowledge will be able to contribute at this difficult time…..as I understand otherwise it will be difficult for quarantine centers Doctors and Administration and they will not be able to help because of fear that it not part of their practice and may also not be having any guidelines to be followed……
Another quack believer,this shows y coronavirus isn’t ending
Ventilators N ICU are part of ALLOPATHY inventions,life support system is medicine ignorant person,besides allopathy isn’t just using these,symptomatic treatment like hydroxychloroquine,remdesivir,favipiravir,crocin,N for critically ill plasmatherapy is being used as treatment for covid if u read the news,I’m a allopathy doc so know it,N please don’t advocate pseudoscience here AYUSH,to demean N show allopathy as less,besides if AYUSH has treatment y don’t they declare it N give it to the world as a treatment for covid? If u read the article it said at end that these r not cure for covid, they’re just immunity boosting N trial methods like any other untested method for covid done now,N if ur so against allopathy docs,ask all in India to stop working N AYUSH do the work,let’s see then the situation N cases get worse N u come begging for allopathy help in end like always,this is Indian people problem,never appreciate good done for them,no matter r effort sleepless nights, empty stomach, dying docs,u still r against allopathy? Seriously now? How naive N thankless can u be? What r u doing in covid to say anything against allopathy docs who r giving everything N giving up their families for u? Come to covid hospital N see for urself u ignorant person to realize how wrong u r.
Please Clarify my Doubts for the Benefits of INDIA FIRST. Doctor the Drug CHLOROQUINE and HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE Were Used to Treat Patients Who were Suffering from MALARIA and now WHO had Recommend the Use of the Same for the Treatment of CORONAVIRUSES. The Doctor’s in CUBA are treating patient’s with INTERFERON ALPHA 2 b IFNree Made in CUBA by Bio Cuba Farma CUBA. This DRUG Was Used to Treat Patients Who were Suffering from DENGUE and CHICKENGUNEYA. The Doctor’s are Using the Same DRUG to Treat Patients Suffering from CORONAVIRUSES. MY DOUBTS LOGICALLY When all these three Drug’s Were Meant to Treat MALARIA which is Caused by the MALARIA Parasite and DENGUE and CHICKENGUNEYA is a Viral Fever Also Caused By MOSQUITOES. Why Can’t We Experiment the Medecines Which were used in Homeopathic and Ayurveda which are Being Used to Treat and CURE MALARIA , DENGUE and CHICKENGUNEYA ???? The HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM 30 CH and in AYURVEDA MEDICINE ARTEMISIA ANNUA PLANT’S Which Were Used for MALARIA Treatment. The Ayurvedic MEDICINE USED in TamilNade SOUTH INDIAN to Treat Patients Suffering from DENGUE and CHICKENGUNEYA Was the CHEAPEST and the BEST Which Everybody Can Afford. THE JUICES OF FRESH GREEN LEAVES OF PAPAYA PLANTS THESE HAVE THE MEDECINAL PROPERTIES TO INCREASE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF THE BODY AND ALSO INCREASE THE PALATAL COUNT IN YOUR BLOOD STREAM. These can be Consulted by your panel of Ayurvedic & Homeopathic Doctor’s if These Could Work out. THE CATCH HERE IS THESE VIRUSES ARE BEING CONTROLLED AND SUPRESSED BY THE DRUG’S BEING USED TO CURE MALARIA, DENGUE and CHICKENGUNEYA. Doctor’s Then Why Not Try Our Homeopathic & Ayurvedic Medecines ???? DOCTOR One More Point to Note The DOCTOR’S in MADAGASCAR Have used the SHRUBS/HERB’S Which Were Used To Treat MALARIA and they are VERY SUCCESSFULLY by USING ARTEMISIA ANNUA PLANT’S Which Were Basically Used to Treat Patients Suffering from MALARIA. Hoping for the BEST, Wishing you All a Happy Victory to Totally Eradicate the Deadliest CORONAVIRUSES FROM INDIA First.
Let’s hope that Ayurveda finds a cure, as their side effects are minimal or none.
SERIOUSLY? ayurveda has no side effects or minimal coz they don’t treat u, just fool u,besides don’t u know the kind of research required for developing virus treatment? As ur thinking ayurveda will find cure. AYUSH just tries to manipulate by showing fake data that’s y Even in this article disclaimer is there of no proof just trials,coz they want to Hain trust of people like u who don’t know science. AYUSH has no scientific proof for any of it’s treatment so it’s called pseudoscience N banned in many countries. Allopathy is based on research science logic N treats people hence has side effects that r manageable N disclosed not hidden like AYUSH, besides globally allopathy is treating covid patients with plasma therapy,antivirals, hydroxychloroquine,crocin, ventilators,etc,not AYUSH,still u being thankless to allopathy docs N their sacrifices,N relying on AYUSH shows y such diseases spread N develop,no matter allopathy docs dying,u still won’t thank them,just criticise even in such crisis Like a naive person.
Those of us who are using and have used Ayurveda, homeopathy, nature cure, Siddha, etc., are aware of the benefits.
You mention that Aryuvedic experts criticize Allopathy. Actually, all through it has been the other way around. Ayurvedic and alternate system practitioners are not bothered with what others say, because they have a clear understanding of their science and experience of years with that. Further there is enough and more demand fo their healing.
Every Treatment needs an explanation in this era. whatever treatment you are suggesting should have a scientific background to convince people to accept and use the therapy…..pls create scientific data….not Trial data…..