The trail for Ayush formulations
It seems like planet earth will soon break its friendly agreement with us if we don't mend our behaviour. The coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives, our values, and our habits. It has brought chaos to life and economies all around the World. Scientists and Researchers all around the world have been trying hard to invent a vaccine for COVID. In this time of crisis, Indians are seen inclined towards Ayurveda for prevention against this deadly disease. The Ayush ministry has already suggested ways to improve one's immunity which includes drinking warm water throughout the day, practising yoga asana, eating chyawanprash, drinking herbal tea/ decoction made from basil, cinnamon, black pepper, dry ginger, and raisins, etc. While there is no medicine for COVID-19 as of now, it will be good to take preventive measures that boost our immunity in these times.
Since the advisory was given, Ayush ministry received flak from medical practitioners who criticized the advisory for the lack of scientific data. Prime minister Narendra Modi has then addressed Ayush practitioners and urged that organizations must come together for evidence-based research.
The AYUSH Ministry and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are working together on validating four Ayush formulations against Covid-19. These formulations will be tried as an add-on therapy and standard care for COVID-19 patients. AYUSH and CSIR collaboration has a larger perspective. This type of study never happened in our country. The four formulations for the trail are - Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu (Mulethi), Guduchi + Pippali (Giloy), and AYUSH-64 (which was invented for the treatment of malaria and its repurposing is going on). Ayush Ministry has taken advice from the ICMR (Indian Council Of Medical Research) so that it becomes so robust that it could be publishable into a very high impact journal. People of this country trust Ayurveda. Ayurvedic practices have existed much before modern medicine practices came. Therefore, we must validate some of the Ayurvedic principles and the time is right in the fight against coronavirus.
The Coronavirus forecasts appear daily. Some are optimistic and some are not. But one thing I am cent percent sure, HUMANITY WILL STILL FIND THE STRENGTH TO RECOVER.