Background
Sars Cov-2 has emerged as a global threat since its onset in December 2019. India has also been severely affected by the dreadful Corona Virus and is currently battling one of the worst pandemics of history. WHO and the world medical fraternity are putting their efforts to materialize a treatment or vaccine for this novel virus. A randomized open label parallel group study was designed in a Lucknow based level 2 COVID hospital to evaluate the efficacy of Ayurvedic interventions in the management of asymptomatic and mild COVID 19 patients.
Objectives
To evaluate the efficacy of Ayurveda in the management of mildly affected COVID-19 patients.
Materials and methods
The current trial was an open label randomized 10-day study. Total 120 asymptomatic and/or mild Covid-19 positive patients fulfilling inclusion criteria were randomly grouped into three. RT-PCR of all the patients were done on 5
th
, 7
th
and on 10
th
day respectively. The observations were noted and results were analyzed statistically. Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon Sign rank test were used for data analysis where applicable.
Results
Improvement in symptoms, enhancement in
Agni
and recovery from COVID infection was observed. The results obtained were encouraging and showed better viral clearance and control of symptom progression in the patients placed on Ayurvedic medications.
Conclusion
The promising results in the study showed that an approach involving Ayurveda can be helpful for the management of the mild COVID-19 patients. Ayurveda can be used to limit community spread and check disease progression to a more appalling state.
Trial registration
Trial was registered with Clinical Trials Registry- India (CTRI registration number: CTRI/2020/06/025800.
Panchakarma therapy aims at the elimination of excessive Doshas from the body to maintain the state of health for a longer duration, while the Shamana therapy is for suppression of vitiated Doshas within the body. Virechana is one of the Panchakarma therapies wherein purgation is induced by drugs and it specifically aims at the elimination of excessive Pitta Dosha from the body. Normally, after Virechanakarma, patient does not complain of having any untoward like those present after diarrhea due to dehydration. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Virechanakarma on serum electrolyte levels and to ascertain the safety of therapeutic purgation. This study involved estimation of serum electrolyte levels before and after Virechana in 15 patients and the results are suggestive of safe application of the Virechana therapy as the deviation in electrolyte levels were within the normal range.
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