Homoeopathy treatment could offer a solution to the Novel Corona Virus (nCoV) infection, which hits a person's upper respiratory system, leading to serious illness or even death.

Homoepathy practitioners have collectively identified a few mother tinctures (a combination of plant extract and concentrated alcohol) that can prevent the infection from spreading inside the body.

Speaking to BusinessLine , Dr Subhash Singh, Director, National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH) in Kolkata, said homoeopathic treatment can work in respiratory infections similar to the coronavirus attack, the symptoms of which include fever, cough and breathlessness.

"Homoeopathy works based on the symptoms we see in patients. The symptoms of a coronavirus patient in China may vary slightly from that of a patient in India because of climatic and other geographical factors. Based on our experience, we think there will be some modifications required in medicines. Currently, we can think of three medicines which can work for it," said Dr Singh, adding that mother tinctures of arsenicum elb, crotalus hor and eupatorium perfoliatum are currently believed to be indicative for curative as well as preventive medication for coronavirus.

Advisory on Indian medicine practices

Notably, the Research Councils under the Ministry of AYUSH have issued advisory based on traditional Indian medicine practices, including Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani. The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) discussed ways and means of prevention of Coronavirus infection through Homoeopathy at the 64th meeting of its Scientific Advisory Board on January 28, 2020.

"The Group of Experts inter-alia has recommended that homoeopathy medicine Arsenicum album 30 could be taken as a prophylactic medicine against Coronavirus infections, which has also been advised for prevention. It has recommended one doze of Arsenicum album 30, daily on an in empty stomach for three days. The dose should be repeated after one month, by following the same schedule in case Coronavirus infections prevail in the community," a statement said.

"The Group of Experts inter-alia has recommended that homoeopathy medicine Arsenicum album 30 could be taken as a prophylactic medicine against Coronavirus infections, which has also been advised for prevention. It has recommended one doze of Arsenicum album 30, daily on an empty stomach for three days. The dose should be repeated after one month, by following the same schedule in case Coronavirus infections prevail in the community," a statement said.

Though homoeopathy treatment has at times been questioned and harshly criticised by sections of society for want of empirical evidence-based documentation, similar to that in modern medicine, the NIH claims to have about 2,000 patients in its outdoor patients department daily.

“Homoeopathic medicines are proven curative medicines based on the treatment evidences. It has been a well-recognised curative science in India, Germany, the US and in Britain. Our own Rabindranath Tagore, too, used it. Some elements are there who try to defame it," said Dr S. I. Husain, a Mumbai-based homoeopathy practitioner and deputy president of the Homoeopathic Medical Association of India.

Meanwhile, with the coronoavirus epidemic in China, patients with normal cold symptoms in the country are worried about a possible coronavirus infection. In Ahmedabad, an independent consultant homoeopath, Dr Darshan Dattani, said he has had several anxious patients who are confusing a normal cold with coronavirus infection.

"Patients need to be educated. There is no reason to panic because we have not had any positive case in India so far. I tell my patients that homoeopathy has several preventive medicines that can protect against coronavirus," Dr Dattani said, adding that mother tinctures of Ocimum sanctum  (popularly known as Shyama Tulsi) and Tinospora cordifolia  (extract of Amrita Balli in Kannada) have also been helpful in preventing respiratory infections like this.

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