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Homœopathic Links 2020; 33(03): 171-179
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1715636
Review Article

Current Insights into the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Its Homoeopathic Management

Joy Kumar Dey   *
1   Documentation and Publication Section, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, New Delhi 110058, Delhi, India
,
Sanjay Kumar Dey‡   *
2   Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway 08854, NJ, USA
,
Hitaishi Sihag
3   Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer 305817, Rajasthan, India
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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new coronavirus strain that has not been ever found in humans before December 2019. Both the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case fatality rate and deaths per million population in the top 10 affected countries are increasing a lot due to ever-increasing number of new cases among countries facilitated by increased affinity of SARS-CoV-2 to bind human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. While human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 happens through close contact with an infected individual who spreads respiratory droplets through air or other means, its diagnosis relies mainly on detection of nucleic acid. Repurposing drugs such as dexamethasone, remdesivir, favipiravir and TMPRSS2 (trans membrane protease, serine 2) protease inhibitors have been shown to be effective for the treatment of COVID-19 with albeit requirement of further studies to conclude their complete effectiveness. Personal protective measures should be followed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, hundreds of clinical trials of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are undergoing, while plasma therapy from the COVID-19 survivors is also being tried to treat the severely affected patients. In addition to these aforementioned modern medicines and therapeutic approaches, homoeopathy also holds promising anti-viral effect as evident from its success against flu and other epidemics, historically. Therefore, present article provides a glimpse of advancements made in the area of homoeopathic ways of treating COVID-19 by summarising the recent homoeopathic clinical, research trials and future scopes of homoeopathy to combat the pandemic. After critical review of most of the ongoing or recently completed homoeopathic treatment efforts against SARS-CoV-2, it was identified that Bryonia alba, Arsenicum album and Gelsemium sempervirens are working best among homoeopathic medicines till now. These studies are also suggesting an increased application of these remedies to treat the current pandemic worldwide; therefore, more such studies are warranted. Those further research will pave the way to understand the mechanism of each of these homoeopathic drugs to cure COVID-19 facilitated by optimising their doses, effects and find the best among these multiple options in homoeopathic medicines for plausible mono- or combination therapies.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2 - COVID-19 - cytokine storm - Bryonia alba - Arsenicum album - Gelsemium sempervirens - ABO blood group - psychological impacts - homoeopathy

* Both authors contributed equally to the article.




Publication History

Article published online:
16 September 2020

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