NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday recommended the use of common ayurvedic formulations such as Guduchi, Ashwagandha and AYUSH-64 in treating mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 cases even though the clinical trials to ascertain their efficacy against the infectious disease are still underway.
In the national clinical management protocol for Covid-19 based on Ayurveda and Yoga, released by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and AYUSH minister Shripad Naik, specific measures were prescribed for preventing the disease in high-risk people and primary contacts of infected people.
Also, measures have been laid down for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic people apart from those suffering from post-Covid complications. The guidelines, however, stay away from prescribing anything for moderate or severe disease.
The recommendations are based on a report by an interdisciplinary committee for integration of Ayurveda and Yoga Interventions in the headed by Dr V M Katoch, former director general, ICMR.
The government maintained that the report was based on acceptable experimental and clinical data and these findings were presented before the National Task Force on Covid-19 and Joint Monitoring Group and subsequently developed into the protocol on the recommendations of the NITI Aayog.
Based on their recommendations, the AYUSH Ministry constituted a national task force which, in consensus with expert committees from various Ayush research organisations, in turn, developed the protocol.
Experts said it is not clear if these recommendations can be used concurrently with allopathic treatment protocols.
“If they are going to be used together, there is a need to monitor for interactions and adverse events,” said public health researcher Dr Oommen John.
“Since the post marketing surveillance systems are still evolving in India there is a need to ensure active surveillance for adverse events and drug interactions.”
He said since most of these interventions will be administered at home, patient reported outcomes will be helpful in contributing to the body of evidence.