In an attempt to fight against the prevailing Covid-19 situation, Indian government’s Ayush Ministry on Monday announced that it has taken steps to streamline the distribution of AYUSH 64, the polyherbal Ayurvedic medicine, across the country to treat mild to moderate cases of coronavirus infections. Asserting that AYUSH 64 was found very useful for treatment in clinical trials, the Ministry said it is ramping up its production so that it becomes available to a large number of people in a short span of time.
AYUSH- 64 was originally developed in 1980 for treatment of malaria, and it complies with all regulatory requirements and quality and pharmacopoeial standards. CCRAS recently concluded extensive robust clinical trials of the drug focusing on the management of asymptomatic, mild to moderate coronavirus in collaboration with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and many other research organizations and medical colleges across the country. The trials led by scientists showed AYUSH 64 has notable antiviral, immune-modulator and antipyretic properties. “It is found to be useful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate Covid-19 infection. Consequently, the drug is now repurposed for Covid-19. This was announced by the Ministry in a press conference on April 29,” a statement from Ayush Ministry said.
The CCRAS and National Research and Development Centre (NDRC) have signed an MoU for the larger production and commercialization of AYUSH 64 with mutual cooperation. The Ayush Ministry on April 27 has also issued an advisory to all State Licensing Authorities of ASU medicines to repurpose AYUSH-64 as an intervention for the management of mild to moderate Covid-19 in addition to existing indications.
Emphasizing the need for ensuring the availability of AYUSH 64 across the country, the Ministry has encouraged more pharmaceutical companies to come forward and obtain a manufacturing license for this medicine. “Interested companies for the transfer of technology can approach CCRAS and the NRDC. The CCRAS will provide technical support to the ASU drugs manufacturers in the manufacturing of AYUSH-64. Further, the State Licensing Authorities are expediting the process of the licensing/approval of such applications, provided the prescribed standards and relevant provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945, are fulfilled,” the ministry explained.
The State and Union Territory administrations are also expected to contribute further to this mobilization through the vehicle of the National Ayush Mission, under which a country-wide Ayush network is already in place. (source: news18.com)
