Ayush Kwath to combat COVID-19: The current understanding and potential therapeutic action

Abstract

Background: Public health crises threatening the world have emerged as Covid pandemic. The present analysis is aimed to analyze and summarize the therapeutic potential of the herbal formulae—Ayush Kwath as a preventive, curative, and restorative intervention. The treatment for COVID-19 should primarily aim for the resolution of symptoms, arresting the pathogenesis at the earliest and shortening the recovery phase. With these objectives, the clinical efficiency of Ayush Kwath is being traversed in this study. Materials and Methods: A thorough search of classical text and databases was done using key terms Ayurveda, Jwara, Tulsi, Sunthi, Dalchini, and Krishna Marich. Results: The study found that Ayush Kwath can serve as an empirical drug for the disease. Our findings are categorized under (1) clinical perspectives of Ayush Kwath, (2) pharmacology and reverse-pharmacology of the formulation—its role in therapeutics of COVID-19, (3) psychoneuroimmunological mechanism of the formulation w.r.t. each of the constituents’ drugs, (4) therapeutic potential of the formulation—levels of prevention. Conclusion: From this review, efficacy of traditional medicines in Covid pandemic might be evidenced. This can back the clinical evidence of Ayurveda management of COVID-19. The drug can be labeled under “Vyadhiviprita chikitsaupakrama” and its application is a function of a Vaidya’s rationality. Considering lower economical value, therapeutic efficacy, and good availability of the drug makes it a potent entity to deal with a public health concern such as coronavirus disease.