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Brief Summary
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COVID-19 has emerged as the latest
pandemic that erupted in the Wuhan City of People’s Republic of China in
December 2019, which is affecting human health and economy across the world. 1
133758 cases has been reported globally as on April 5, according to the WHO
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report – 76. The occurrence of
the ongoing COVID-19 in developed countries also highlights the fact that
developed countries and rich populations are not immune to the outbreaks of
infectious diseases. Coronaviruses (CoVs) belong to the family Coronaviridae
and are enveloped, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses. The SARS-CoV-2
belongs to the beta CoV genus which also includes the SARS-CoV-1 and the
MERS-CoV. The lack of approved effective drug therapeutic protocols for CoVs
would be a challenge for the treatment of the newly emerged COVID-19 infections
worldwide. Drug repurposing, which is defined as identifying alternative uses
for approved or investigational drugs outside their defined indication, could
be a possible way to overcome the time limitation of research and development
needed to design a therapeutic drug to combat the pathogen. The drug
repurposing or repositioning approach thus can facilitate prompt clinical
decisions at lower costs than de novo drug development.1 Though drug
repurposing is sometimes based on chance observations, target-based repurposing
of drugs depends on prior understanding of the precise molecular or cellular
element that is recognized by the proposed drug,2,3 Ayurveda and
traditional systems of Medicine in India have been treating diseases of
infectious and non-infectious origin equally with expansive success rates,
treating the patients through an individualized person to person approach
depending upon the presentation of clinical symptoms in each.
Chyawanprash is a 5000 year
old Ayurvedic multi-herbal jam considered to be a Rasayana for all the tissues of the
body. Rasayana translates to “path of
essence” as it promotes systemic rejuvenation of the mind and body.
Chyawanprash is a potent antioxidant paste, prepared through the synergistic
blending of around 50 herbs and spices. Chyawanprash falls, by virtue of its
consistency and form of dosage, under the category of Awaleha
(electuaries/herbal jams), a group of Ayurvedic formulations.4
Respiratory Health- Protect and
Strengthens the Respiratory System
A regular intake of Chyawanprash strengthens the
trachea–bronchial tree and hence improves the immunity and functioning of the
respiratory system. It helps to treat respiratory infections, allergic cough,
asthma, bronchospasm, rhinitis, seasonal or non seasonal respiratory disorders,
common cold, and tuberculosis, and thus strengthens the respiratory system. It
is also used as an adjunct to antitubercular drugs to augment their bioactivity
and prevent their side effects5-7 In a randomized controlled trial
(RCT), 90 pulmonary tuberculosis patients were treated with Chyawanprash 10 g, twice daily as an
adjunct to antitubercular drugs. Chyawanprash
augmented the bioactivity of antitubercular drugs and prevented their side
effects. Cough, expectoration, weakness, loss of appetite, loss of weight,
fever, edema aches, and hemoptysis disappeared almost completely in the treated
group, along with improvement in the hemoglobin (Hb) levels and effective
healing as evidenced through chest X-ray post-therapy.5,8 Another
observational study on 99 newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients
revealed that concomitant adjunct use of CP with antitubercular drugs
significantly abated the symptoms and improved bioavailability of isoniazid and
pyrazinamide.7
Antioxidant,
Adaptogenic, and Immune-Booster
Recent investigations have
ascertained that polyphenols (gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin) in CP exert
key antioxidant potential and is known to possess potent neuroprotective,
cytoprotective, and antioxidant properties.9,10 Chyawanprash is an effective adaptogenic.11 Some
clinical reports do support the adaptogenic and antioxidant effect of Chyawanprash on normal and depressive
subjects.12 Due to the rich Amla percentage, Chyawanprash is loaded in high vitamin C, polyphenolics, including
flavonoids, and exhibits evident antioxidant and free radical scavenging
activity, enhances the immune system, and fights infections.13 In a
6-month-long randomized, open labelled, prospective, multicenter, clinical
study in children (5–12 years), CP was shown to lead to significant improvement
in immunity, energy levels, physical strength, vigor, and quality of life
assessed through KIDSCREEN QOL-27 questionnaires in children.14
Clinical studies support the immune-booster role of Chyawanprash as demonstrated by reduced disease symptoms of
seasonal influences, modulated IgE and immunity markers C3 and C4 levels,
improved pulmonary functions, decreased cortisol levels, and increased quality
of life (QoL).15
The minute quantities of spice
components of Chyawanprash are also
known for their wide range of health benefits by their antioxidative,
chemopreventive, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory effects on
cells and several beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular,
respiratory, metabolic, reproductive, neural, and other systems.16
Chyawanprash: A Nutraceutical and
Functional Food
Chyawanprash
has been a consistent part of Indian tradition both as a functional food and
nutraceutical for the past 5000 years, with constant zeal and vivacity, and has
survived owing to its peerless health benefits. Chyawanprash is reported to
have rich vitamin, protein, dietary fiber, energy contents, carbohydrate, low
fat contents (no-trans and zero percent cholesterol), and appreciable levels of
major and minor trace elements (mg/100g), such as Fe (21.1), Zn (3.1), Co
(3.7), Cu (0.667), Ni (1.4), Pb (2.4),Mn (8.3), vitamin C (0.5), tannic acid
(20.2), other vitamins A, E, B1, B2, and carotenoids that act as micronutrients
for health-invigorating purposes. It also provides several essential
phytoconstituents, namely, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, antioxidants, piperine,
phenolic compounds, etc. The synergistic antioxidant effects of vitamin C along
with vitamin E and carotenoids are well known. The rich nutritive composition
and antioxidant biomolecules of CP act both singly as well as synergistically
for immuno-modulation, body building, health restoration, and prevention of
oxidative damage (a leading cause of several degenerative diseases) |