The effects of add-on therapy of Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) on laboratory confirmed COVID-19 Cases: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

Abstract

Objective This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial (RCT) aimed to evaluate the effect of Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) as an add-on therapy on COVID-19_ related biomarkers and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Methods In this RCT, sixty-one patients were randomly assigned into two arms [the intervention (n=31) and control arms (n=30)]. The effect of Amla on diagnostic Reverse-transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test results between the first and the last days of the study, the length of stay (LOS) in hospital, the percentage of lung involvement on CT scans, changes in the clinical symptoms, and the laboratory markers were assessed. Results The two study groups had similar baseline demographics and characteristics in terms of medical history. The mean of LOS in the intervention arm (4.44 days) was significantly shorter than in the control arm (7.18 days, P<0.001); RT-PCR results were not significantly different between the two arms (P=0.07). All clinical variables decreased over time in the two groups (P<0.001). However, the difference between the two groups in terms of fever (P=0.004), severity of cough (P=0.001), shortness of breath (P=0.004), and myalgia (P=0.005) were significant, but this intergroup comparison was not significant with regard to respiratory rate (P=0.29), severity of chills (P=0.06), sore throat (P=0.22), and weakness (P=0.12). Out of the eight evaluated para-clinical variables, three variables showed significant improvement in the intervention arm, including the mean increase in oxygen saturation (SpO2) level (P<0.001), the reduction in the mean percentage of lung involvement on CT (P<0.001), and the improvement in C-reactive protein test results (P<0.001). Conclusion Organic herbal Amla tea cannot significantly affect the RT-PCR results and or degree of lung involvement. Nevertheless, it showed an ameliorative effect on the severity of clinical signs and CRP levels. Also, Amla tea may shorten the recovery times of symptoms and LOS in COVID-19 patients.

AYURAKSHA, a prophylactic Ayurvedic immunity boosting kit reducing positivity percentage of IgG COVID-19 among frontline Indian Delhi police personnel: A non-randomized controlled intervention trial

“…Numerous studies on traditional Chinese medicines and various Asian herbs such as Tinospora cordifolia, Withania somnifera, Andrographis paniculata, Glycerrhiza glabra, Boerhaevia diffusa , and Ocimum sanctum have demonstrated their potent immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory properties and their applications for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in Asian countries ( 11 – 13 ). Similarly, the formulations like Amla tea were found to be effective in shortening the recovery times of symptoms in COVID-19 patients and have shown an ameliorative effect on the severity of clinical signs and CRP levels ( 14 ). In the view of COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown in the Capital territory region, New Delhi, India, taking care of police personnel involved in managing discipline, lockdown, preventing violence during lockdowns, helping people with health-related crises, and maintaining the law-and-order rules, became logical to prevent them from the infection by employing the Ayurveda principles in the prevention of disease.…”

Traditional Vietnamese medicine Kovir capsule for non‐severe COVID‐19 patients: A phase III double‐blind randomized controlled trial

“…Kovir shares the main feature with other herbal and traditional medicines, including healing and restoring the balance of the body (Ang et al, 2022; Chen et al, 2022; Devpura et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2021; Karimi et al, 2021; Li et al, 2022; Natarajan et al, 2021; Srivastava et al, 2021; Tseng et al, 2022; Valizadeh et al, 2020; Varnasseri et al, 2022; Xia et al, 2021; Xiao et al, 2020; Xu et al, 2021; X. Y. Zhang et al, 2021; Zhou et al, 2021). The mechanism of this feature may be that Kovir contains several anti‐inflammatory components such as Radix Peucedani , Radix Bupleuri chinensis , Radix Codonopsis pilosulae , and Radix Angelicae pubescentis .…”

Phenolic compounds versus SARS-CoV-2: An update on the main findings against COVID-19

“… Hospitalization was 4,5 days shorter. Varnasseri et al (2022) Controlled, randomized, double-blind. 30 patients.…”