New Delhi: The government on Friday said that the scientists of reputed research institutions of the country have found AYUSH-64, a polyherbal formulation, as helpful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 infection as an adjunct to standard care.
Minister of State for AYUSH Dr Mahendra Munjapara in a written response to a question in Lok Sabha, said the Ministry of Ayush-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) collaboration has recently completed a robust multi-centre clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AYUSH-64 in the management of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.
He said AYUSH-64 has been repurposed for the management of asymptomatic and mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 and has been recommended in the National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga for the management of COVID-19.
"Further, Kabasur Kudineer, a Siddha preparation was also subjected to clinical trials to study the efficacy in COVID-19 patients by Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) under Ministry of AYUSH also found useful in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection," he said in his reply.
The minister said in order to provide the maximum benefits of Ayush systems of medicine, a nationwide campaign for the distribution of AYUSH-64 and Kabasura Kudineer has been started.
"The scientists of reputed research institutions of the country have found that AYUSH-64, a polyherbal formulation developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of AYUSH, is helpful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 infection as an adjunct to standard care," he said.
Meanwhile, the States/ UTs licensing authorities have been informed by the ministry earlier to allow the licensed manufactures for AYUSH-64 under their jurisdiction to include a new indication of AYUSH-64 for repurposing as an intervention for the management of asymptomatic, mild to moderate COVID-19 in addition to the existing indication
Responding to another question, he said during the second outbreak of COVID-19 in India, the Ministry of AYUSH has also launched a nationwide campaign through its research councils and the national institute for mass distribution of AYUSH-64 to asymptomatic and mild to moderate COVID-19 patients in home isolation.
"Further, the technology of Ayush-64 has been transferred to 29 Ayush pharmaceutical manufacturing units for repurposing for COVID-19," he added.