Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19 can be effective in mild to moderate cases of Covid19: AIIA

Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19: 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 COVID19 pandemic has put the world on a standstill. Doctors, scientists and researchers are trying hard to rid the world of this deadly virus. COVID19 has led to large number of deaths worldwide and left many infected, with lifelong lung and breathing problems. Experts all over the world are readily looking for vaccines that can help people get better.

Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19 – Related Initiatives in India

The field of homeopathy and Ayurveda has also joined the race and experts are actively working to formulate any remedy that could help the individuals. The Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited is a public sector under the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy or AYUSH saw a turnover of 164.33 crore in the financial year 2020-21.
These are yet the highest number recorded. The spread of COVID 19 can be reflected in the growth of the AYUSH services and products hence we can see various initiatives which represent Ayurveda in COVID19. Recently in March 20221, the World Health Organization recommended recently 18 Ayurvedic products that could be beneficial for the patients.
The natural products and herbs that are used in the manufacturing of these medicines have proved to boost immunity and strengthen the system, so as to naturally help and improve the immune system of the patient. These work to naturally help the individuals without any synthetic chemicals or medicines. The use of Ayurveda has been an old tradition of the Indian society.

COVID-19 Pandemic and the Relevance of Ayurveda Whole Systems Approach to Health and Disease Management: Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19

The use of herbs has been ancient and has always proved to be effective. The paper is an attempt to analyze and examine the importance of Ayurveda in COVID19 and its effectiveness against the ongoing pandemic.
The large number of deaths has forced experts to find alternatives to Allopathic medicines. The intense shortage of medicines and injections has forced the sectors to find effective options that will in any way benefit the individuals.
The highly contagious nature of the virus and the new mutations of the virus have put the doctors in a peril. Due to the new and never before seen or examined nature of the virus, and the lack of any specific medicine, the only way to fight the virus and recover effectively is by the inherent strong immune systems of the body.
Many cases are now being observed when individuals are catching the virus, despite the administration of vaccines; these circumstances put a big question mark on the effectiveness of the vaccine. It can be fairly concluded that the only way to protect oneself from the virus is by maintaining social distancing, by wearing masks all time and by necessarily staying home.

The Current Pandemic, the Indian Health System, and the Role of Ayurveda Has Marked Significant Growth: Ayurveda in COVID19

All the sectors of medicine can collectively agreed that it is only and only the strong immune system of the individual that can assist individuals to effectively fight the virus and recover quickly without any fatal risk.
Ayurveda in COVID19 with its use of herbs and natural substances primarily aims at strengthening the immune system and effectively keep people healthy and make them liable for quick recovery.
The paper is an attempt to analyze this effectiveness and discuss on the importance of Ayurveda in these critical times.

#1: Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19 goes global in 2020

The potential role of Ayurveda in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic will be the focus of the 5th Ayurveda Day 2020

 

The spread of the Corona Virus showed effect in the year 2020, and forced the nation into a standstill, effective all the major sectors and economy of the country. The nationwide lockdown affected the population of India, affecting people majorly.
The most adverse effect of the same could be noticed in the pathetic condition of the migrant workers, who were robbed of an income and had to face shortage of basic amenities. Currently India is undergoing the second wave of the Coronavirus, where cases are increasing exponentially.
On 12^th April 2021, India registered the highest spike in cases, with active cases of up to 12 lakhs since October 2020, surpassing Brazil, which previously held the record f such staggering numbers.
Ayurveda is an age old practice of medicine that is widely recognized all over India and majority of the households daily indulge in its application, where they make ‘kadha’ as an immediate remedy for various ills, like cough, cold or fever.
The practice of Ayurveda is not new. Although, in current times where scientists are in a fit and are continuously facing problems in devising a remedy for the deadly virus. Many have turned towards other natural ways as a trustful and effective alternative & Ayurveda in COVID19 has turned out to be a savoir.
Doctors too are advising individuals to maintain their health and immunity with natural ways, which have no side effect whatsoever. These natural remedies greatly benefit the individual as they carry no synthetic chemical and can be easily administered. Ayurveda in COVID19 is a great alternative to Allopathic medicines in the current times.
Recent reports have highlighted the shortage of important medicines that are used to fight COVID like Remdiviser. Such acute shortage of crucial medicine is a great threat to a person’s health and such conditions have resulted in more deaths.
The highly contagious conditions of the virus, the ability of the mutant to bypass the WBCs and the acute shortage of medicines, oxygen cylinders, injections and hospital beds have all contributed to the great number of deaths. In such a critical and fatal scenario, it is important for individuals to maintain a strong immunity and the ability to fight the virus, so that even if a person catches the virus, the WBCs are strong enough to fight the virus cells.
The Ministry of Heath has already confirmed the role of AYUSH in these times, and have advised people to seek Ayurvedic treatment if the patient has mild symptoms or are asymptomatic.
The Asymptomatic nature of the virus is of grave concern to the scientists and researchers. The person is a carrier of virus even if he or she exhibits no symptoms and may shed the virus and infect other people as well.
The people in turn infected, may be either symptomatic or asymptomatic and the cycle continues. One of the most efficient ways of ending this loop is to find the trace of contact and the R (not) value, i.e., how many people does one person infects.
In the first wave of the pandemic contact tracing was possible and the R(not) value could be determined and essential steps were then administered accordingly. Whereas, in the second wave, as the number of infected people are staggering, the R(not) value has gone high, and due to insufficient work force right measures are not being administered in the correct time and therefore, the numbers are still increasing and will continue to do so in the near future.
The mutant virus has now become extremely dangerous and on entering the human body is rapidly infecting lungs and deteriorating the organ system, and seriously affecting the blood pressure and oxygen level of the patient.
External oxygen when not timely administered is leading to deaths, filling up mortuaries and cemeteries. All these factors, the dangerous nature of the mutant virus, the shortage of medicines and injection, the lack of workforce, improper administration are all contributing factors to the increasing number of death tolls in the second wave of the pandemic.
The following map of India represents the worst and least hit states of COVID 19 at the start of the year. Since then, the cases have only seemed to grow. Some of the worst hit states of the second wave of the pandemic re, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and increasingly joining these states are Delhi, Gujarat, and West Bengal etc. All of India is currently witnessing staggering number of cases, a majority of which are critical and require constant care
India has now become one of the worst hit countries of the world, and in the coming months, the situation has been predicted to deteriorate. The mutant virus, has the ability to bypass the warrior cells of the body and replicate rapidly, and goes on to affect the immune system and attacks at the patient’s lung. Scientists are only at an initial state of research and currently require a lot of data and analysis to form a solid prediction about the whole situation.
The only way to protect oneself from this highly contagious virus, is to take precautionary measures, wear a mask at all times, maintain social distancing, avoid any kind of crowds, regularly sanitize and keep oneself safe and healthy.
The application of Ayurveda in COVID19, is one such extremely important precautionary measure, whose natural and herbal substances, improves, enhances and strengthens the immune system. The herbs act as immunity booster, and gives great power to the organ system of humans and an inherent ability to fight any harmful foreign cell entering the body. It is only this inherent capability that will help infected individuals to fight and overcome this virus and recover rapidly

#2: The Importance of Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19

In the second wave of the virus, a new mutation of the virus has been found which has proved to be more dangerous and infectious than the one identified in the first wave. The new mutations of the virus have now become more infectious and fatal in nature.

A senior government health official Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, requested people to have chyawanprash, an Ayurvedic health alternative and kadha regularly so as to boost immunity.
In a statement he openly advocated the Ayurvedic treatment and said,  “ If you get COVID 19, consult Ayurveda practitioners for treatment is symptoms are mild or asymptomatic. Take what they give after proper consultation to fight the disease. It is a treatment modality in itself so this also needs to be adopted.”
India is reporting staggering number of COVID cases, with the recent statistics showing, 1,84,372 new cases and 1,027 deaths in just 24 hours, and the numbers are increasingly growing, infecting a large number of population and a increasing death toll.
Many states are re-imposing lockdowns and shutting borders, in an attempt to shield the citizens. Also, a mandatory negative test is requested by authorities on international travels. It is currently the need of the hour of the government to protect the citizens in any manner possible.
The government is requesting people to stay indoors and not indulge in unnecessary social situations. Much emphasis is being given on natural and herbal products. This new approach is attracting some criticism; however the approach is appreciated and encouraged.
“To boost immunity to deal with this pandemic, there are guidelines from the government that include adopting Ayurveda and AYUSH products. Specific recommendations tell us to consume chyawanprash twice a day; have turmeric milk at least once a day; it is extremely popular among masses we have found in our surveys; and a warm drink made from basil, cinnamon, and black pepper concoction should also be had, along with doing yoga to boost your immunity.”
Dr. Paul added in his statement. Native remedies are being recommended and are thought to be efficient in boosting immunity. Turmeric milk, black pepper, cinnamon and basil are age old remedies that are generally being used and administered in almost every household of India. The regular drinking of kadha is also a basic remedy that has time and along proved to improve the immunity of the system.
Currently the Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited (IMPCL) is producing 656 classical ayurveda, 71 proprietary Ayurvedic and 332 Unani medicines, for over a large number of diseases. IMPCL has actively contributed to the various health programs of the government and is actively supplying appliances, medicines and products, to fight the Covid19 pandemic.
In the absence of a strong and specific drugs or medicine that is specially designed to fight the virus, precautionary measures are the only proven remedies. It is only the strong WBCs that can fight the virus effectively and therefore, Ayurveda is found to be the best alternative that strengthens the immune system. The following table consists of important constituents that are used in the making Ayurvedic medicines and its importance,

Name of the medicine	Use and importance
Cardamom	Cardamom is sometimes referred to as the ‘queen of spices’ and has been a part of the Ayurvedic culture since centuries. It has been found that cardamom helps reduce blood pressure. In another study scientists have found that inhaling the essential oil of cardamom can enhance the uptake of oxygen. It has also been noticed that cardamom is useful in reducing ulcers of stomach and may even treat or eradicate them.  Cardamom is widely used in the manufacture of Ayurvedic medicine, owing to the multiple benefits it possesses.
Turmeric	Turmeric contains a compound known as ‘cur cumin’ which posses strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Researchers have shown that turmeric is a great alternative for anti-inflammatory drugs, without any visible side effects. Turmeric helps in enhancing the blood flow and maintains a healthy circulatory system lowering the chance of impending heart diseases. Although it is important to take care of the amount of turmeric used so as to not upset the digestive tract.
Cumin	Cumin is another widely used spice in Ayurvedic medicine, and has a distinctive earthy and nutty flavour. Cumin is best known for dealing with the diseases of the digestive system. It boosts the activity of certain enzymes and enhances the release of bile. It further goes on to lower the blood sugar level and thus, improving insulin subjectivity and protecting from type 2 diabetes. Researchers have shown that cumin posses some antimicrobial properties, which may reduce the risk of certain food related infections and more. Owing to these properties, Cumin is widely used in Ayurvedic medicines.
Licorice root	Licorice root is found to have certain anti-inflammatory properties, and some anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. The Licorice root has been found to have preventive properties to manage heartburn, nausea, ulcers in stomach, belching and bloating. Moreover, it also possess certain properties, that can be treated in reducing the symptoms of skin infections and rashes. Licorice roots, because of the above mentioned properties, are commonly used in preparing medicines.
Brahmi	Research have shown the that Brahmi improves the attention span, memory and learning rates of individuals. Brahmi, is the most commonly used herb in the Ayurveda medicine. It has been found to reduce the symptoms of ADHD, like poor self control, impulsivity, restlessness etc. Another study has brought into light the ‘adaptogenic’ characteristics to deal with anxiety and stress.
Bosewellia	Boswellia, is a commonly used herb all across India, it contains some anti-inflammatory properties. In another study, it has been found that Boswellia, is specifically used to reduce pain and also improve mobility. It has also beenfound that Bosewellia, prevents oral infections and also gingivitis and further, cures certain ulcers in stomach, by keeping in check the digestion of the people.
Triphala	Triphala consist of three medicinal units namely- Bibhitaki, amla and Haritaki. The Triphala consists certain Anti-inflammatory properties. It also functions as a natural laxative, and can be effectively used in reducing abdominal pain as well as dealing with the problems  of constipation. The Triphala, improves the bowel movements and other related digestive tract problems. certain studies indicate that when administered in a mouthwash, Triphala reduces the possibility of plaque and growth of bacteria in the mouth. These characteristic, make Triphala, one of the most prominently used herb in the making of Ayurvedic medicines.
Ashwagandha	Ashwagandha, is a kind of small woody plant, and is widely used in the making of Ayurvedic Medicine. It is a kind of ‘adaptogenic’ herb, indicating that it assists the body in adapting and effectively coping with stress and anxiety. Certain studies, also indicate that Ashwagandha, contributes in healthy and improved sleep patterns. It also enhances, retaining the memory and muscle growth. All these, properties make Ashwagadha, as one of the major medicine which boosts and improves immunity system of individuals.
Gotu Kala	Gotu Kala, is sometimes referred to as the ‘herb of longevity’. Gotu Kala is usually administered in order to reduce anxiety and stress issues, and can be effectively used as an anti-depressants. The erb is found to possess certain properties that reduces varicose veins, reduces the onset symptoms of psoriasis, and help in the fast healing of the wound, it has also been found to help boost memory.

Ayurvedic medicines have become an integral part of the traditional medicine. And now their effectiveness and properties are being supported by scientific studies and evidence.
Majority if the drugs have certain proposed health benefits like anti-inflammatory characteristics, specific remedies for digestives tract diseases, and more. The most important benefit of these natural herbs and medicines is the lack of any possible side effects, and therefore are widely used and administered.

Conclusion: Ayurvedic Treatment in COVID19 the Revolution 2021

In the current times, with the acute shortage of hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and important medicines like Remdeiviser injection and plasma donors, India has now become the worst hit country of the COVID 19 pandemic.
The administration and health ministry are not being able to keep up with the demand that the new patient is rapidly being created. In the wake of the second wave, it is now essentially the need of the hour, to educate and aware individual on the importance of maintaining a healthy and effective immune system that could fight any foreign bodies that enter the body.
Ayurveda in COVID19 has come up to the best alternative to deal with the pandemic. Ayurveda in COVID19 is a more holistic approach to health that constitutes within itself both the aspects of physical and psychological health. Ayurveda in COVID19 focuses on the concept of stress and anxiety management along with sleep patterns.
As mentioned in the above table herbs, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, liquorice root, ashwagandha, triphala along with many others contains medicinal properties that consequently help in improving and enhancing the immunity system of the body.
It is essentially important in the current times to maintain a healthy immune system which will give the body inherent ability to the body to fight and quickly recover from any ailment. The mutant Corona Virus, is dreadful and is creating havoc all over the nation, where the fatality rate is extremely high and the chances of recovery solely depends on the inherent fighting capacity of the individual.
Therefore, by all means it is important to remain healthy and enhance our immune system with the administration of such natural herbs and medicines.
The Ministry of Health has also now recognized the role of AYUSH in dealing with the pandemic, and has advised people with mild or asymptomatic virus to administer the ayurvedic ways by regularly drinking kadhas and other such drinks that can be easily made in the home with the help of turmeric, cumin, cardamom and more.
These drinks are effectively known for improving the immune system and shows immediate effects thus giving the body the power to fight with the virus without any side effect whatsoever. It has now become the responsibility of the citizens to keep themselves fit and healthy and protect themselves by taking all precautionary measure to fight the virus.
On the other hand, it is important to consider the amount of medicine or herbs that are to be administered. Although they are considered the safest supplement, when taken into large amount, it can upset the digestive tract and sometimes may not be suitable to children or with person with certain allergies. One should also keep in mind, the content and quality of these products.
Ayurveda in COVID19 has found to be a great alternative to allopathic medicines and has proved to be an effective cure to Coronavirus. The government and officials are proactively working to help the citizen and find treatments to cure the people.
Ayurveda in COVID19 is supporting the immune system, and gives humans the inherent ability to fight any foreign particles. It takes into consideration the problems of blood circulation, heart related ailments and digestive tract problems. The herbs and spices are specially triggers and improve the immune system without any noticeable side effects.
The administration of Ayurvedic medicines has proved extremely effective in treating COVID 19 and individuals must actively be made aware of the benefits and advantages of the Ayurvedic medicines and its impact as an immunity booster.
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What are the career options in Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is contributing to the covid19 situation the whole world is facing. This has made our culture of medication very famous over the world. And there are growing career options into the field :

• Teacher.
• Surgeon.
• Pharmacist.
• Panchkarma Practitioner.
• Gynaecologist.
• Dieticians.

Can COVID-19 cause severe disease?

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly  most people are experiencing mild symptoms. But it is possible to be infected severely which might get the person lead into severe disease .

Is Ayurveda effective in treating mild covid infection?

Ayurveda in COVID19 can be effective in mild to moderate cases of Covid19.  The Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited is a public sector under the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy or AYUSH saw a turnover of 164.33 crore in the financial year 2020-21. AIIA

Where can I study Ayurvedic medicine?

The one among the best colleges to get your BAMS Degree is L.N. Ayurved College.  L.N. Ayurved College of LNCT University is one of the best and reputed in Central India. Study Ayurveda with LNCT University.