Herbal drug based adjuvant therapy effective in treating diabetic COVID-19 patients: Researchers

The researchers, however, noted that better designed experimental and clinical studies are urgently required to confirm their beneficial effects. In a review published in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), they said "anti-oxidative herbal medicines can be used as adjuvant to currently prescribed drugs to treat coronavirus in patients with diabetes and also can be considered as a suitable source to identify novel therapeutic agents for COVID-19".

Anti-oxidative herbal medicines with evidence-based useful impacts in the treatment of diabetes can be used as an adjuvant therapy to the conventional treatment of diabetic COVID-19 patients, according to researchers in Tehran. The researchers, however, noted that better designed experimental and clinical studies are urgently required to confirm their beneficial effects.

In a review published in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), they said "anti-oxidative herbal medicines can be used as adjuvant to currently prescribed drugs to treat coronavirus in patients with diabetes and also can be considered as a suitable source to identify novel therapeutic agents for COVID-19". “Certain herbs work as antioxidants and check free radicals apart from maintaining normal blood glucose levels,” A K S Rawat, former senior scientist with CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), said.

He also referred to anti-diabetic herbal formulation, BGR-34, developed using extracts of herbs like Giloy, Vijaysar, Daruharidra, Gudmar, Methika and Majeeth. The formulation has been scientifically developed by NBRI in collaboration with the Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (CIMAP), both Lucknow-based CSIR labs.

BGR-34, commercially manufactured by Aimil Pharmaceuticals, has shown therapeutic efficacy for treating newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, as found in independent clinical trials conducted at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi last year. As the world observes November 14 as Diabetes Day, Rawat also said that herbal ingredients like Giloy used in BGR-34 also corrects immunity, while compounds in Dharuharida help in insulin release in type 2 diabetic patients. Based on the 2019 International Diabetes Federation (IDF) report, the world prevalence of diabetes was 463 million, and is expected to reach 578 million in 2030, and 700 million in 2045.

According to doctors, patients with co-morbidities like diabetes are more vulnerable to coronavirus because of their compromised immunity. PTI PLB SRY

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)