Editor: Acharya Balkrishna

Evidence-Based Research in Ayurveda against COVID-19 in Compliance with Standardized Protocols and Practices

eBook: US $59 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $120
Printed Copy: US $90
Library License: US $236
ISBN: 978-981-5051-19-3 (Print)
ISBN: 978-981-5051-18-6 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2022
DOI: 10.2174/97898150511861220101

Introduction

This book details all the intricacies and essential knowledge involved in the research and development of the Coronil Kit – a combination of 3 ayurvedic medications for the common cold. It informs the reader about the huge potential of herbal drugs in fighting against any type of disease through evidence-based data from clinical trials and experiments. The book elaborates how current scientific techniques can be applied to understand the healing capacities of plants at their molecular level and thus utilize their different combinations to treat diseases by targeting harmful micro-organisms and simultaneously boosting the immune system. It covers methods of virtual screening and computational validation of identified phytochemicals as potential antiviral agents against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

70 colored figures.

Key features:

- Covers the molecular etiology of COVID-19 virus

- Covers guidance on drug formulation, hazard assessment, and clinical trials based on approved methods by regulatory organizations

- Covers pharmacological, toxicological, and technically verified chemical composition of medicinal plants

- Includes information about in vivo experiments and analysis of Humanoid Zebrafish trials

- Includes methods of identifying antiviral agents against the SARS-CoV-2 virus

- Includes chemical, analytical and technical studies of Coronil

- Includes 70 images 7 chapters

- Includes a bibliography and appendix

The book is primarily intended as a primary resource for medical research scholars and researchers in pharmaceutical companies and as a secondary resource for B.A.M.S. students, medical postgraduate students, and Ayurveda enthusiasts.

Audience: Medical research scholars and researchers in pharmaceutical companies, B.A.M.S. students, medical postgraduate students, and Ayurveda enthusiasts.

Preface

The year 2020 has posed a grave challenge for humankind in the form of a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The outbreaks witnessed by the world back in 2002 and 2012 due to SARS and MERS, respectively, now appear to be insignificant in front of the current pandemic. The virus was officially named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by WHO in March 2020, after due diligence of the first case being reported in Wuhan, Province of China. This pandemic has divided the current age into two eras: pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19, in every respect, some of which are obvious immediately, like, healthcare and finance, while others, like education and politics, are yet to be revealed. All these changes are primarily adaptive, and yet we are still not well-adapted to this selection pressure. The world as one entity has stood up in solidarity to face this challenge in all spheres of life, healthcare, and medicine being at the forefront. While on field, it is the medical personnel who are relentlessly fighting an apparently never-ending battle against COVID-19. In the laboratories, it is the scientists putting their heart and soul to find a solution to end this battle that is draining humankind both physically and emotionally.

We still do not have a cure for COVID-19 despite the fact that the etiology and pathology of this disease have been thoroughly worked out. Modern medicine is grappling to cope with the current situation with no specific treatment against COVID-19. Our hopes for the re-purposed modern medicines fell flat with unfavorable outcomes of clinical trials conducted involving them. So, after a transient flash of hope for a potential cure for COVID-19, we are apparently, still in the darkness as at the beginning of this year. Alternative medicines are coming up with promising reports but establishing a medicine from an alternative system is difficult with no standard operating protocols to do so in place.

The ancient Indian medicinal system, Ayurveda, is at the core of the working mandate of Patanjali Research Institute (PRI), governed by Patanjali Research Foundation Trust (PRFT), Haridwar, India. PRFT has been following the rapid evolution of COVID-19 very closely right from the day when the first case was reported. Probably, that is the reason, today, PRFT can confidently declare that it has found a way to fight COVID-19, although the solution is only recognized as an immunity booster, preliminary and interim outcomes from surveys, observational clinical studies, and completed and continuing clinical trials speak more favorably towards this solution being a cure rather than a mere prophylactic in the form of an immunity booster. This book is a chronicle of this journey of PRFT from fields (medicinal herbs) to clinics (medicines being used in clinical trials) via research laboratories at Patanjali Research Institute (PRI) for developing solutions for COVID-19. Additionally, this work is also expected to be a capstone to guide how one can develop traditional medicines into forms acceptable by modern medical practitioners worldwide.

PRFT has been actively involved in finding a cure for COVID-19 since WHO expressed its concern last January, even before declaring this to be an outbreak. In fact, computational studies from PRFT after coming into the public domain as pre-prints triggered several groups to take up similar studies that have now resulted in a huge database of phytochemicals with predicted antiviral potentials against SARS-CoV-2. Even before this, revered Swami Ramdev Ji recommended the use of decoctions of herbs (which were later used in these medicines) as a home remedy for protection against COVID-19. These recommendations were based on Ayurvedic medicines prescribed for ailments with corresponding etiologies. So, it is evident that what we have offered humankind in the form of a Coronil kit is the outcome of our deep-rooted traditional scientific knowledge. We believe that this piece of work would be like a

beacon to whosoever wishes to develop our ancient Ayurvedic prescriptions into a form acceptable to the practitioners of modern medicine.

CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION

Not applicable.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The author declares no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Declared none.

Acharya Balkrishna
The University of Patanjali and
General Secretary at Patanjali Research
Foundation Trust
Haridwar
India

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