The Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is unique and unprecedented in many ways and has challenged health systems worldwide. This pandemic has caught the health workers worldwide off guard as the health fraternity never anticipated such a pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has drawn the world’s attention to the immune system, the body’s defense force against bacteria, viruses, and other disease-causing organisms that we touch, ingest and inhale every day.
Along with investigations into the virology of SARS-CoV-2, understanding the fundamental physiological and immunological processes underlying the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 is vital for the identification and rational design of effective therapies.
Our immune system will have to adapt unaided to COVID-19 until a potential vaccine is available.
The pandemic has also highlighted the possible role of Ayurveda in the treatment of COVID-19 through psychoneurotic-immune pathways. The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in high levels of psychological distress and a significant impact on mental health, especially in vulnerable groups such as healthcare workers.
Such distress is accompanied by alterations in immune function, including an increased risk of viral respiratory tract infections.
The immune system plays a vital role in our response to infectious diseases. The immune system is the body’s multi-layered defense network against bacteria, viruses, and other potentially harmful organisms.
The role of psychosocial factors in increasing susceptibility to viral respiratory tract infections is well documented. Additionally, poor mental health conditions, including stress and depression, are associated with an increased risk of acute respiratory infections.
Ayurveda, a system of traditional medicine, originated in India over 3000 years ago. Ayurveda’s word originated from the Sanskrit words Ayur (life) and Veda (science or knowledge).
The classic Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita mentioned epidemic management defines immunity as the ability to prevent and stop disease progression from maintaining homeostasis. Ayurveda places more emphasis on strengthening the mind and body to deal with various stressors, including infection.
In Ayurveda, several treatment options are available to boost immunity against respiratory diseases, including certain immunomodulators (known as Rasayana), local and systemic interventions.
Local prophylaxis measures such as herbal decoctions, drinking hot water, gargling with medicated water, and inhaling steam as described in Ayurveda for respiratory diseases. These interventions can be rapidly implemented at scale with the advantages of simplicity, affordability, and acceptability.
These traditional measures can positively influence mental health and immune function by modulating psychoneurotic-immune pathways. Numerous allopathic medicines are under research for prophylactic use against COVID-19, and evidently, the current prophylactic measures are insufficient.
The prophylactic and therapeutic potential of traditional and complementary medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Yoga can be proven as effective prophylaxis and adjuvant therapy for COVID-19.
Ayurvedic science has enormous potential to provide innovative learning and knowledge, and clinical studies with proper documentation are essential. This will help to disseminate the results to researchers and policymakers in a scientific way to learn lessons about pluralistic knowledge systems available around the world.
In India, several initiatives have been taken to use the vast potential of Ayurveda in this pandemic. The Ayush Ministry, a nodal ministry of complementary and alternative medicine, has published guidelines for strengthening immunity and self-management measures using Ayurvedic principles.
Besides, in his speeches to the nation, the prime minister of India has been reiterating the use of Ayurvedic drugs to improve immunity against COVID-19. This has led to an increase in the demand for Ayurvedic medicines.
Gujarat, one of India’s western states, has also started a study in which Ayush treatment will be given to asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, and the state government has also distributed the Ayurvedic drugs to millions of citizens to strengthen their immunity against COVID -19.
Kerala has been relying on Ayurveda for mitigating the spread of Coronavirus. It has been reported that the COVID-19 curve has been successfully flattened in Kerala. The entire population has been classified into seven categories based on the virus’s possible spread and has been recommended Ayurvedic treatment by the government.
The state has one of the best Ayurvedic medicine systems in the country. Several other Indian states have also started using Ayurvedic therapies as a preventative measure against COVID-19. Ayurveda has enough potential and possibilities to be used for both prevention and cure options for COVID-19.
India has adequate human resources and services to implement a large-scale COVID-19 mitigation plan through the prophylactic use of Ayurvedic drugs and deploy human resources and Ayurveda services for asymptomatic cases.
There are approximately 2,818 Ayurvedic hospitals and 15,291 Ayurvedic dispensaries available in the country, and 4.28 lakh registered Ayurvedic practitioners.
Traditional practices can help improve the psychological quality of life and reducing the risk of infection. Coronil, a proprietary medication of Divya Pharmacy, is a good candidate to accentuate that Ayurveda has immense potential to cure and treat COVID-19.
Therefore, it is very important to conduct research studies to understand the link between Ayurveda’s effect on psychological distress and immune responses to COVID-19 infection.
This is an opportunity to discover the true potential of Ayurvedic systems and adopt integrative approaches for innovative solutions against the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, the time has come for India to demonstrate the potential of AYUSH systems to face this global health crisis. All treatment options must be presented to the scientific community, as we have no vaccine or medical treatment for this unprecedented crisis.
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