Combating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Through Siddha System of Medicine

Abstract

Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a previously unknown pathogen named severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has now become a pandemic threat to the whole world. However, till now there are no vaccines or specific treatment against the new virus. India has various traditional systems of medicines. One of the most popular among them is Siddha Medicine. Siddha medicines are made from different kinds of polyherbal formulations which are used for curing many diseases. Siddha Medicines become popular nowadays because of various outbreaks from many communicable and infectious diseases like Chikungunya, dengue, swine flu etc. Siddha preparation has been classified into different categories of medicinal forms as 32 internal and 32 external and kudineer, chooranam and parpam are among the internal medicines. Siddha medicine classifies diseases and disorders into 4448 types and has remedy for more than 64 types of fever.  Among these Kabasura Kudineer and Naga parpam with anupaanam (adjuvant) of Nelli Samoolam (Emblica officinalis) juice (act as a Zinc ionophore) are two Siddha formulations used against fevers due to respiratory infections. In this present study we have collected both traditional literature and modern scientific evidences for Kabasura Kudineer and Naga parpam for prophylaxis for Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).