Lok Sabha Question No. 1081 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Research in AYUSH Medicine
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: S. Venkatesan, Dr. T. Sumathy (a) Thamizhachi Thangapandian

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH)

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1081 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 th SEPTEMBER, 2020

## RESEARCH IN AYUSH ME DICINE

## 1081. SHRI S. VENKATESAN:

## DR.T. SUMATHY (a) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:

Will  the  Minister  of AYURVEDA,YOGA  AND NATUROPATHY,  UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it has come to the notice of Government that there are widespread practices of AYUSH  which  are incorporated  in  primary  and  secondary  healthcare including  various Siddha  medicines  popular  in  the country  which  is  aiding  Covid  management  in  various districts of Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any steps are being taken by the G overnment towards research to explore the possibility of developing potential anti - Covid drug and an integrated protocol for prevention and management especially in Tamil Nadu using Siddha medicine; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reaso stherefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) Yes,The Government is aware of the widespread practices of AYUSH system of medicine, which are incorporated in primary and secondary healthcare.  AYUSH system medicines including Siddha medicines are popular in aiding Covid management in vario districts of Tamil Nadu and other parts of the Country.
- (b) Ministry  of  AYUSH  has  issued  detailed  guidelines  to  be  followed  by practitioners of each AYUSH syst em including Siddha for combating Covid - 19  pandemic. The details of activities carried out by Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) are enclosed a t Annexure - I.
- (c)& (d) The Government has taken steps for various research activities to explore th e possibility of  develop ing  potential  anti - Covid drug  through  its  autonomous  Research Councils and National Institutions of various AYUSH systems to conduct clinical resear establishing  the  efficacy  of  AYUSH  medicine  including  Siddha  for  prevention  an management  of  Covid - 19.    Central  Council  for  R esearch  in  Siddha  (CCRS)  and  National Institute of Siddha (NIS) are conducting the clinical trials in Tamil Nadu. The details are enclosed a t Annexure - II.

A special Scheme named Arogyam have been launched by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu with  guidelines  for  the  prevention  and  treatment  of  COVID - 19  through  Siddha  system  of through

Medicine. In  Tamil  Nadu,  29  Siddha  COVID  care  centre  have  been  functioning  under Directorate  of  Indian  Medicine  and  Homeopathy and  treated  16,563  COVID  positive patients.  In  addition  to  this,  Kabasura  Kudineer  have  been  provided  to  all  m asymptomatic  COVID  positive  /  patients  in  Allopathy  medical  colleges  and  hospitals integrated therapy with modern medicine standard care of treatment. Till date, around (1,27,37,395) beneficiaries have been provided Kabasura Kudineer and  (1,32,53,115)  beneficiaries  have  been  provided  Nilavembu  Kudineer  as  immunit booster. Around 1,20,000 Kgs of Kabasura Kudineer and Nilavembu Kudineer chooranam have been distributed by Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, Govt. of Tam Nadu. In addition to this, Central Council for Research in Siddha 3 institutes / units at Tamil Nadu have been continuously providing health care de liveries to the  public  sector  and  immunity  boosting.    Siddha  formulation Nilavembu  Kudineer and Kabasura Kudineer have been regularly distributed in the institutes of CCRS

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## Annexure - II

The  traditional  medicine  system  of  Siddha  can  be utiliz d  as  preventive  and management perspective for COVID - 19.Siddha drugs like Kabasura kudineer, Nilavembu Kudineer,  Visha  sura  Kudinner,  Brahmanada  Bairavam,  Amukurra  chooranam,  Nochi kudineer, Nellikai legyiom, Thippli rasayanam, Adathodai manapagu, Thalisathi Vadagam, Athimathura chooranam, Seenthil chooranam are being used in the prevention and treatment of  COVID - 19.  CCRS  have  undertaken  various  studies  with  the  above  mentioned  Siddha formulations. These formulations being anti - viral, anti -pyreti c, anti -inflammatory, immune modulators with scientific rationale aids in the mitigation of COVID - 19 pandemic crises.

Ministry of AYUSH have been supporting and encouraging Research related COVID - 19  through various initiatives. Ministry of AYUSH have c reated COVID - 19 outsourcing platforms to receive inputs related to Siddha stream for the management of COVID - 19. In  addition  to  this,  Ministry  of  AYUSH  have  issued  notification  to  Call  applicati supporting  AYUSH  related  research  studies  in  SARS - COV - 2  infection  and  COVID - 19 disease under EMR scheme.

CCRS have initiated pre - clinical and clinical studies with the support of Ministry AYUSH to assess the utility and effectiveness of Siddha formulation in improving immun and aiding in the management & treatment of COVID - 19

## Pre-clinical studies conducted by CCRS

- a. Siddha classical formulation Kabasura Kudineer subjected to molecular docking studies against the spike protein SARS - CoV - 2 and research paper was published.

In Silico computational screening of Kabasura Kudineer -Official Siddha Formulation and JACOM against SARS- CoV - 2 spike protein

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S09 75947620300243

- b. Immunomodulatory, thrombolytic and anti -viral activity of Kabasura Kudineer has been established.

## Anti- viral activity -SARS - CoV - 2: Kabasura Kudineer

Kabasura  Kudineer showed  significant  activity  when  compared  to  standard  drug Remdesivir, which showed KSK inhibit virus replication similar to standard Remdesivir.

## Clinical Studies conducted by CCRS

The details of the clinical studies conducted by CCRS are as follows:

1. A  prospective  Non - randomized  Open  label  Controlled  Interventional  study  on  th effect of Siddha intervention -Kaba Sura Kudineer (KSK) as a Prophylactic measure among  high  risk  population  (Health  Care  Workers/Containment  Zone  population exposed to COVID - 19 (SIDDHALION) Sample size -20000
2. A prospective, single centre, randomized open labelled comparative clinical s evaluate the effectiveness of Siddha medicine, Kabasura Kudineer and vitamin c - zinc

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- supplementation  in  the  management  of  asymptomatic COVID  19  patients.at Government Stanley Medical College
3. A randomized open labeled clinical study to compare the effectiveness of Kabasura Kudineer and Vitamin - C Zinc supplementation in the management of asymptomatic SARS - CoV - 2 patients at Govt. Theni m edical college.
4. Retrospective  Survival  analysis  to  assess  the  length  of  stay  of  novel  coro (COVID - 19)  patients  in  GMC  &  ESIH  Coimbatore  who  were  under - Integrated Medicine-Zinc, Vitamin C & Kabasura Kudineer (ZVcKK)
5. Assessment of prophylaxis offe red to frontline workers who has involved themselves in war footing of COVID -19 in Tamil N adu who are taking Siddha interventions like Nilavembu Kudineer / Kabasura Kudineer
6. Awareness  and  practices  regarding  COVID - 19  related  prevention,  control  and promotive measures among population, Tamil Nadu, India: Cross - sectional study.
7. A prospective, non - randomised, single arm observational study to access the saf and  effectiveness  of  Siddha  Sastric  Medicines -Fixed  Regimen  intervention  in prevention of COVID - 19  disease  progression  of  severity  from  COVID -19  Positive asymptomatic, mild or moderate to critical with reference to the Siddha guidel COVID - 19 management, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India at a Home Quarantine Chennai Containment Zone.
8. A prospective, non - randomized, single - arm interventional study to assess the safety and  efficacy  of  Siddha  Sasthric  Medicines -Fixed  Regimen  in  the  prevention  of COVID - 19  disease progression of asymptomatic, and mild at Siddha COVID Care Centre, Chennai, 2020 (SSM- FiRe)
9. Clinical validation of the 'Immune booster' potential of the Siddha medicine drug, Kabasura  Kudineer (KSK)  in  asymptomatic  contacts  of  COVID - 19  cases:  a controlled clinical trial at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Studies, Chenn

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