Guwahati News Desk: The Ministry of Ayush has collaborated with the UK’s London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to conduct a study on ‘Ashwagandha’ for promoting recovery from COVID-19.
As per the Ministry release, the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ayush and the LSHTM recently signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ to conduct clinical trials of ‘Ashwagandha’ on 2,000 people in three U.K. cities, including Leicester, Birmingham and London (Southall and Wembley).
The release added that the successful completion of the trial could be a major breakthrough and it might give scientific validity to India’s traditional medicinal system.
Regarding the ‘Ashwagandha’, it is also commonly known as ‘Indian winter cherry’, is a traditional Indian herb that boosts energy, reduces stress and makes the immune system stronger. It is easily accessible, is an over-the-counter nutritional supplement in the UK and has a proven safety profile.
Infact, the positive effects of ‘Ashwagandha’ have been observed in Long COVID, which is a multi-system disease with no evidence of its effective treatment or management.
The Ministry stated, “While there have been several studies on ‘Ashwagandha’ to understand its benefits in various ailments, this is the first time the Ministry of Ayush has collaborated with a foreign institution to investigate its efficacy on COVID-19 patients.’’
According to AIIA director, Tanuja Manoj Nesari, who is also a co-investigator in the project along with Rajgopalan, the coordinator of International Projects, the participants have been randomly selected. Among the participants, Sanjay Kinra of the LSHTM is the principal investigator of the study.
Dr. Nesari stated, “For three months, one group of 1,000 participants will be administered ‘Ashwagandha’ (AG) tablets, while the second group of 1,000 participants will be assigned a placebo, which is indistinguishable from AG in looks and taste. Both patients and the doctors will be unaware of the group’s treatment in a double-blind trial.”
The participants will have to take the 500mg tablets twice a day. A monthly follow-up of self-reported quality of life, impairment to activities of daily living, mental and physical health symptoms, supplement use and adverse events will be carried out.
Meanwhile, a number of recent trials of AG in humans in India have demonstrated its efficacy in reducing anxiety and stress, improving muscle strength and reducing symptoms of fatigue in patients treated for chronic conditions. It has also been indicated for treating non-restorative sleep, a hallmark of chronic fatigue, for which the trials are currently ongoing. Combined with substantial literature on its pharmacological and immuno modulatory effects in vitro and in animals, the study suggests ‘Ashwagandha’ as a potential therapeutic candidate for alleviating the long-term symptoms of COVID-19.
The Ministry further added – “After the trial’s success, ‘Ashwagandha’ will be a proven medicinal treatment to prevent infection and be recognized by the scientific community worldwide,”
