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28 January 2018

Siddha Medicine can prevent and cure dengue and chikungunya : Study by ICGEB

According to two studies conducted by Scientists in International Centre for Genetic engineering and Biotechnology(ICGEB), New Delhi, funded by the Central Council for Research in Siddha under the ministry of AYUSH, the two siddha medicines Nilavembu Kudineer and Amukkura churnam, which has been used by centuries In siddha medicine, can prevent the dengue virus and chikungunya virus.

In our country tens of thousands of people infected with chikungunya and dengue in every year. People already using this several traditional combinations to prevent this diseases. Governments of Tamilnadu and Kerala are providing these medicines to people through Siddha Health Centers.

The In-Vivo tests proved the efficacy of Amukkura, main ingredient in Amukkura churnam, in preventing chikungunya virus from crossing the Blood Brain Barrier and also affecting the Joints. Animal experiments are also done in mice and found the same. They conducted the experiments in two types of tissues, Blood Brain Barrier and Joint tissues.

The In-Vivo studies conducted in another medicine, Nilavembu Kudineer, in which Andographis (Nilavembu/Kiriyath) is a main ingredient, shows its efficacy to restrict the entry of Chikungunya virus and stop the dengue virus from replicating. This happens by the ability of this medicine by binding to the receptors that the viruses bind with. So this medicine can be used as a prophylactic treatment for dengue and chikungunya as it will result in no symptoms or very mild symptoms.  The animal studies for the same are also in progress in the ICGEB.

Both studies have been accepted in the Journal of Evidence Based Alternative Medicine and the Journal of Viral Diseases and were funded by the Central Council for Research in Siddha under the ministry of AYUSH. Dr Sujatha Sunil is the lead author of the two scientific papers based on the study. 

Courtesy : Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Jan 25 


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