By Hitesh Tikoo

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS): Two indigenous herbal medicines have been found useful in the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 infection, the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) has said.

In a letter to J. Radakrishnan, Principal Secretary to the Health and Family Welfare Department, P.N. Ranjit Kumar, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of AYUSH, said that two herbal medicines, Kaphasura Kudineer and Ayush-64, have emerged as a ray of hope Covid patients.

Indian scientists have found Kaphasura Kudineer, a siddha poly-herbal preparation consisting 15 herbal ingredients, and Ayush-64, a poly-herbal formulation developed by Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush, useful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate Covid infection, and effective in immunity boosting as well.

Robust clinical trials were conducted and completed by the Central Council for research in Siddha (CCRS) on Kapashura Kudineer.

The Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently completed a multi-central clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Ayush-64 in the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 infection.

In the letter, Joint Secretary Kumar requested the government to popularise the use of Kaphasura Kudineer and Ayush-64 at isolation centres or Covid care centres, AYUSH hospitals and patients in home isolation.

Experts say that the immunity developed by Kabasura Kudineer can provide effective remedy for a range of fevers, shivering, cough, nasal congestion, body pain, irritation and loss of taste, and can help strengthen the body's defence mechanism. It is a combination of several herbs like ginger, kalmegh, vasa, guduchi and haritaki which helps in strengthening the respiratory system and treating high fever as well.

In September 2020, the Madras High Court had advised the central government to popularise Kabasuraa Kudineer, given its effectiveness in boosting one's immunity.

India has so far recorded 2,34,083 deaths due to Covid-19, while the caseload stands at 2,18,92,676.

The country has administered more than 157 million vaccine doses so far, however, only about 10 per cent of the country's 1.4 billion people have had the first dose and only about 2 per cent have got both the doses.