A groundbreaking interim report on a clinical trial being conducted in three hospitals has shown that COVID-19 patients on natural treatment, based on the Indian traditional systems of herb-based medicines, are resolving most symptoms earlier than those on conventional medicines. The interim report on combination treatment of an ayurvedic remedy called 'Immunofree' by Corival Life Sciences, and Nutraceutical called 'Reginmune' by Biogetica have shown exceptional results as against the present government SOP of conventional medicines for coronavirus treatment.

Numerous tests such as C reactive protein, Procalcitonin, D Dimer and RT-PCR for novel coronavirus are also showing 20 to 60 per cent better improvement for the natural treatment, when compared to conventional treatment.

Numerous subjective endpoints such as body pain and fatigue are also leaning towards the natural treatment. Both Clinician's Global Assessment of Symptoms and Subject's Global Assessment of Symptoms clearly showed improvements on both arms showing more significant data in the test group.

About 86.66 per cent of patients on the natural protocol have tested corona negative on day 5 vs 60 per cent of patients on the conventional treatments. Moreover, on the 10th day test, all patients were negative, which could help in keeping the hospitals less occupied.

Immunofree and Reginmune are being studied in a one-of-a-kind pharmaceutical controlled multicentre clinical trial in 3 hospitals, in India. This CTRI-approved trial is being conducted on moderate COVID-19 positive patients at Government Medical Hospital, Srikakulam Andhra Pradesh, Parul Sevashram Hospital, Vadodara, Gujarat, and Lokmanya Hospital Pune, Maharashtra.

What sets this trial apart is the fact that it is the only time where half the patients in the trial have been given only natural treatment, which is being compared against the conventional treatment in use in India for COVID-19 patients.

This comparative study was achieved as a pilot study in Mumbai showed similar startling results. This control on the randomised trial allows for a direct comparison between these protocols from the world of natural medicine and conventional medicine.

The conventional treatment in use depends on the severity of the patient and includes HCQ, Azithromycin, Favipiravir and Cetirizine. This trial also has a broader inclusion criteria than others conducted on natural medicine as it includes patients upto 70 years old, with low oxygen saturation and co-morbidities.

It is significant to note that none of the patients on the natural treatment progressed past moderate, needed ventilators or had any adverse events. These precedent setting results have led to accelerated enrolment into this trial and statistically significant results should be ready by month end.

Numerous countries and states that have adopted or mandated natural treatment for novel coronavirus have shown mortality rates less than 1/10 of their neighbours. China supposedly stopped the outbreak after mandating TCM treatment.

Goa and Kerala both have 1/10th the mortality rate of neighbouring states. Madagascar, Central African Republic, Ghana and other countries which adopted COVID Organics have seen tremendous results compared to other African countries that did not adopt the natural treatment. WHO has now endorsed a clinical trial protocol for COVID natural medicines and this is one of the first studies proving natural medicine for COVID.

It is therefore hoped that India too mandates the use of these herbs for novel coronavirus treatment. All these regions tend to be using a subset combination of Glycyrrhiza Glabra, Artemisia, Hypericum Mysorense, Tinnispora Cardiflora, Inula Racemosa, Andrographis Paniculata and others contained in Immunofree which has 15 ingredients.

"Most remedies in use for COVID-19 are repurposed anti-malaria and anti-viral drugs not made specifically for this new virus that presents itself in ways no virus ever has. We are fortunate to have gotten approval for a very specific remedy that is now showing these startling results beyond our own expectations. It is a matter of great pride for India that our ancient sciences are coming to the forefront with this new empirical evidence and showing the importance of Ayurveda in the pandemic," Biogetica founder Apurve Mehra said.

"The results of this study thus far are startling and I hope to see people across the globe helped by this multifaceted natural remedy, which seems to apply to all who are pre-Covid, Covid positive and post-Covid. We are now approaching AYUSH and ICMR to get listed as the first herbal treatment of Covid in India, and look forward to government support in seeing this helping Indians and India," Wockhardt Foundation founder Huzaifa Khorakiwala said.

(IANS)