India to get first AYUSH-approved ayurvedic COVID-19 drug

Last updated on February 21st, 2023 at 11:35 am

India to get first AYUSH-approved ayurvedic COVID-19 drug: YUSH Ministry has approved the manufacture of an ayurvedic drug for treatment of COVID-19 disease

Dalmia Healthcare is all set to launch a polyherbal combination of 15 herbs called Astha-15 for the treatment of COVID-19 disease. Its research centre, Dalmia Centre for Research and Development (DCRD), has developed the Ayurvedic drug to address respiratory disorders in COVID-19 patients in line with the standard care guidelines approved by the AYUSH Ministry and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research).

As per reports, it will be the first indigenous formulation to be released from India in the global market. 

According to researchers at DCRD, the drug is aimed at controlling allergic reactions and eliminating the COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, Astha-15 has an anti-inflammatory effect that will contribute to reducing congestion and inflammation in the lungs. Among other disorders, Astha-15 is said to reduce the damage to lungs and muscular walls after continuous use.

The ayurvedic drug successfully completed its first two phases of the clinical trial, following which it went through the Phase III trial that was conducted on 12 subjects at multiple locations. All these tests were conducted while complying with regulatory guidelines issued by AYUSH Ministry. 

Reportedly, in the first phase of deployment, the ayurvedic drug will be made available through a prescription issued by doctors for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Dalmia Group Chairman Sanjay Dalmia issued a statement announcing that Astha-15’s clinical trial demonstrated a significant decrease in cough and wheezing with improvement in the respiratory rate. It will further contribute to the speedy recovery of patients from COVID-19.

Last month, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan issued an AYUSH standard treatment protocol aimed at clinical management of COVID-19. The protocol consisted of a list of Ayurvedic recommendations for preventing and treating COVID-19 disease, including yoga, dietary measures and ayurvedic herbs and medications. 

Meanwhile, India has been witnessing a surge in COVID-19 infections due to an unprecedented rise in pollution level and the approaching winter season. However, in a sigh of relief, India’s COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.97%, according to the latest data announced by the Health Ministry.

Taking note of the surging COVID-19 infected cases in the country, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved a number of repurposed drugs for the treatment of the disease in restricted emergency use. One such drug authorised for emergency use in India for the treatment of severe acute respiratory conditions in COVID-19 patients is itolizumab, which is traditionally used in treating autoimmune condition psoriasis.

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