New Delhi (Sputnik) — India's alternative medical practitioners (Ayurveda) have developed a drug that can cure Dengue — the fastest growing mosquito-borne disease in the world. The Ayurvedic medicine is likely to hit the market some time next year.
In 2017, India registered a total of 15,7220 cases of dengue and 250 deaths due to the disease (as of December 24), as per the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) data. In 2016, the country registered 12,9166 cases and 245 deaths. Practitioners of alternative medicines are optimistic that the new drug will prove to be a panacea for the people.
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"Ayurveda like Naturopathy is an age-old science of medicine proven with generations of research and study. The knowledge was not for the most part in written form and was dependent on oral traditions. Glad that some breakthrough has happened finally with Ayurveda coming in handy for the Dengue disease. More such cures can evolve if the traditional medical systems are helped to grow," Dr. Anil J, Naturopathy practitioner, and advocate of alternative therapies for human wellness told Sputnik.
"Indian scientists have formulated an Ayurvedic drug to cure dengue, claimed to be the first in the world, and the medicine is likely to be available on the market by next year. The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH and ICMR's, a regional research center in Belgaum in the state of Karnataka, have already conducted pilot studies which have proved the clinical safety and efficacy of the drug," the Hindustan Times reported.
Dengue has emerged as a major health problem in tropical countries and is drawing the attention of government and all health agencies due to its fatality and treatment limitations in the conventional system.
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"The Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial, which is a medical study involving human participants and is an internationally accepted method of testing, is going on in the medical colleges of Belgaum and Kolar," Vaidya K S Dhiman, Director General of CCRAS told the media.
The Indian government has recognized the streams of alternative medicines of Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy in a separate department allied AYUSH under the ministry of health and funds the research and development of the streams of medicine through its apex research agencies for each stream.
