The coronavirus pandemic in India seems to take no rest as the number of active patients is on a constant rise. While the government and the world health centres say that vaccine to cure the said virus would take at least to 14-18 more months, the homoeopathy researchers have come to rescue with the immunity booster tablet named Arsenic Album 30. The AYUSH Ministry in India too recommended the consumption of medicine to stay away from the corona virus. But then why is it again taking top position in the war of words?

 

This is after the World Health Organisation chief Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that there is no scientific evidence that Arsenicum Album 30 works against Coronavirus. "No evidence that it works", she said in statement last week. No studies were found that researched the effect of Arsenicum album for coronavirus in humans or animals (in vivo). Also, there were also no studies found in an ex-vivo (outside the animal/human bodies) to study the drug efficacy, it added. It seems the truth has to say something else.

 

 

Mumbai based researcher Dhananjay Kelkar, highly recommending the medicine said that in the absence of vaccine, the Arsenicum Album is playing a major role in boosting the immunity of the patients. The Maharashtra Government too has taken a formal decision yesterday to allow intake of the tablets thrice a week, he said. "The vaccine is yet to come. Without performing any clinical trials, the production of vaccine has already began. The scientific evdience should be unbiased. When the authorities without testing it have approved the production, what are the chances that the results would be unbiased? No scientific experiment is good if biased", he said.

 

When asked about the statistical reports in case of Arsenicum Album 30, he said that the tablets are best to cure the cough cold and is a best immunity booster against coronavirus. "The vaccine when out in the market is bound to cost more than Rs 1000 whereas the homeopathy medicine today costs Rs 20-30 per month. Also, what is vaccine? It is a kind of immunity booster curing the body to fight against the infection. So is Arsenicum Album 30. The most affected area in Maharashtra, Malegaon saw rare positive cases who had taken Arsenicum Album 30. Even the police fraternity in the area had consumed the same and are safe today", he added.

 

The AYUSH ministry in the month of January had issued a health advisory and recommended that homeopathic and unani medicines could be effective in the prevention of novel coronavirus (nCoV) infections. The advisory was issued following a meeting of the scientific advisory board of the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) under the Ministry of AYUSH to discuss ways and means for prevention of the nCoV infection through homoeopathy.

 

"It has recommended that homoeopathic medicine Arsenicum album 30 could be taken empty stomach daily for three days as a prophylactic medicine against the infection. The dose should be repeated after one month by following the same schedule in case the nCoV infection prevails in the community", the advisory said, adding that the same has also been advised for prevention of influenza-like illness.

 

Arsenicum Album is a well-established drug for clinical management of diseases with presenting symptoms similar to COVID-19. As2O3 is widely used in modern medicine and nanomedicine trials for improving immunity and reduce inflammation due to immunocompromised diseases 1-10. In homoeopathic pharmacopeia of India, the preparation of Arsenicum Album is clearly mentioned and Arsenicum Album 30 is considered as an established drug derived from mineral sources which can deliver therapeutic action at nanomaterial dose10-15. More importantly As2O3 and its various formulations have a significant role in PML isoforms and these PML gene regulations have crucial role in generating antiviral defense mechanism12.