From the desk of Prof. (Dr) Ravi M. Nair & Prof. Dr Asok Kumar Das,
Since the days of Hahnemann the effectiveness of Homoeopathy in epidemic diseases is quite known to all of us.
Considering the global threat of COVID-19 including our country and nonavailability of any curative and preventive medicine, we felt an urgent necessity to draw the attention to the highest authority of our country including policy makers regarding the scope of Homoeopathy in this challenging situation. Hence we wrote three letters addressed to PM with the following ideas: 1. First letter on 27th March, 2020 with the proposal to develop a medicine (“nosoCOV”) following the successful experience of CUBA with homoeoprophylaxis against Leptospirosis, which may be effective in preventing COVID-19 by CCRH in collaboration with National Institute of Virology and other related scientific organizations.
- Considering the difficulty in preparing nosode at this point of time, then we wrote another letter on 30th. March to PM submitting a strategic plan to utilize the existing homoeopathic workforce for both treatment (only homoeopathy in mild cases through telemedicine services and as add-on therapy in severe and critical cases) and prevention with the request to permit homoeopathic physician to treat COVID-19 positive cases to find out a homoeopathic preventive medicine through the classical approach of Hahnemann (Genus epidemicus).
The same plan was submitted to the Chief Minister of West Bengal and Kerala. On 2nd April, 2020 Ministry of AYUSH notified the constitution of “Interdisciplinary Ayush Research and Development Task Force” for initiating, coordinating and monitoring the R&D activities in the AYUSH sector related to SARS-cov-2 virus and the COVID-19 diseases consisting of 17 members from related research organizations including CCRH and other disciplines under AYUSH.
As there was there is no access to treat COVID-19 positive cases by Homoeopathy to suggest Genus epidemicus following homoeopathic classical approach of Hahnemann and the disease is spreading among the population all over India, we felt an immediate need to search out some alternative way, which may have the potential to prevent the disease.
So, we send a third letter to PM including the Chairman of the Task Force and other policy makers justifying the earlier recommendation of Arsenic album 30 as a preventive medicine by the Ministry of AYUSH along with two other proposals supplementing the earlier recommendation of Arsenic album 30 by including Phosphorus and Tuberculinum keeping in view the newly published findings of US scientists that BCG vaccine could be effective against the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
JUSTIFICATION OF SELECTING THE MEDICINES
Points in favour of Arsenicum album:
All the available symptomatology of the disease from the authentic sources like WHO, CDC, Chinese report, Indian report as published by the Government of India (although common) – first drug through repertorization or mental processing.
Sphere of action, pathogenesis of this disease involving both upper respiratory system and lower respiratory system.
Current situation of fear and anxiety among the population.
Long clinical experience in the use of this medicine in different diseases of respiratory system.
In absence of characteristic symptom picture of the present epidemic from homoeopathic angle
On the basis of the above, the selection of Arsenicum album 30 from clinical angle as a pathological similar medicine to prevent COVID-19 by the Scientific Advisory Board of CCRH and thus recommended by the Ministry of AYUSH , Govt. of India is justified, rational and timely.
Points in favour of Phosphorus
- Second indicated medicine on the basis of all the available symptomatology of the disease as above
- Sphere of action mostly on lower respiratory system and pathogenesis of this disease
- Usually may be indicated at later stage of the disease when complications like pneumonia develop
- Tubercular diathesis – persons of tubercular diathesis are more prone to develop cough and cold with complications (syphilis miasm)
- In absence of characteristic symptom picture of the present epidemic from homoeopathic angle
- Phosphorus is complementary to Arsenicum album
On the basis of the above, Phosphorus appears to be second indicated medicine which may be used to complement Arsenicum album.
Points in favour of Tuberculinum - A deep acting constitutional medicine to prevent different diseases including respiratory diseases, thus boost up the general immunity
- From miasmatic point, the symptomatology of the present epidemic of COVID-19 appears tubercular nature of the disease.
- Predominance of tubercular miasm among population
- Persons of tubercular diathesis are more prone to develop respiratory diseases with complications
- Tuberculinum is complementary to Phosphorus
- Proved efficacy of Tuberculinum in preventing viral diseases like Japanese encephalitis in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala
- New finding of US scientists about BCG vaccine
“We found that countries without universal policies of BCG vaccination, such as Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States, have been more severely affected compared to countries with universal and long-standing BCG policies”.
The source material for the preparation of BCG and homoeopathic medicine Tuberculinum is the same, only method of preparation differs. So Tuberculinum may have the potentiality to be useful in COVID-19 cases by boosting up the general immunity of the person.
Justification of dose including potency and repetition
Considering the mass use of this medicine it is safe to use three doses of medium potency 30 of Arsenicum album as advised earlier. Likewise Phosphorus may be given in 30 potency and Tuberculinum in 200 potency, being a nosode.
Hahnemann in his first experience with prophylaxis, used Belladonna in a low potency (close to 3c) repeated every 3 days throughout the duration of the epidemic considering the duration of action of Belladonna of 3 days. In the case of Asiatic cholera, he recommended the 30th potency of Cuprum repeated every week.
Considering the intensity, rapid course of the disease COVID-`19 and following the example of Hahnemann of earlier repetition of medicine in epidemic as mentioned above, Arsenicum album 30 and Phosphorus 30 may safely be repeated 15 days interval.
No change of potency during repetition was advocated by Hahnemann in preventing diseases homeopathically.
Considering the above facts, we propose to supplement the earlier advisory issued by Ministry of AYUSH in connection with the prevention of COVID-19 by including an additional medicine namely Tuberculinum to be administered according to following schedule with justification:
Proposal 1:
a. Arsenicum album 30 – 4 globules to be taken at morning in empty stomach for three consecutive days (as recommended earlier) b. After 15 days – Repeat Arsenicum album as above c. Then after 15 days Tuberculinum 200 – 4 globules to be taken at morning in empty stomach for two consecutive days
Proposal 2:
Arsenicum album 30, Phosphorus 30 followed by Tuberculinum 200 in series (similar to Japanese encephalitis prevention in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala) complementary to each other
a. Arsenicum album 30 – 4 globules to be taken at morning in empty stomach for three consecutive days b. After 15 days – Phosphorus 30 – 4 globules to be taken at morning in empty stomach for three consecutive days c. Then after 15 days Tuberculinum 200 – 4 globules to be taken a morning in empty stomach for two consecutive days.
Phosphorus is complementary to Arsenicum album and Tuberculinum is complementary to Phosphorus. So the use of Arsenicum album followed by Phosphorus and then Tuberculinum in series is quite justified considering the homoeopathic principles.
The use of medicines in series (Belladonna, Calcarea carb, Tuberculinum in series) in preventing Japanese encephalitis, another viral disease has already established in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
These medicines are safe, economic, easily acceptable, and easily available all over India and this protocol of intervention can easily be implemented
Safety
Dr Hahnemann included Arsenicum album in Homoeopathic Materia Medica after studying its effects on healthy beings (proving in the language of Homoeopathy) in the year 1816 and Phosphorus in 1828. Since then both the medicines have been very commonly and widely in various diseases including respiratory ones by the homoeopathic physicians all over the world without any side effects. So their safety in human use has already been proved beyond doubt.
Similarly, the safety of using Tuberculinum in human beings has already been proved through long and wide clinical use since its first introduction in homoeopathy in the year 1879 by Dr Swan and Fincke.
Other advantages
1. Many people of our country have already taken Arsenicum album 30 as recommended by Ministry of AYUSH earlier. They can also follow this protocol without disturbing the action of earlier one.
2. All these three medicines are commonly used in homoeopathy, known to every homoeopathic physician and readily available in all the parts of India.
3. The cost of all these three medicines is low, easy to administer and follow the protocol.
The whole world is now under crisis of COVID-19. The efficacy of Homoeopathy in combating epidemic diseases is quite evident in our past experiences. India is the super power in Homoeopathy. The whole world is observing our activities and expecting some potential solution from us. Here is a chance to test the potentiality Homoeopathy while thousands of people are dying daily all over the world. Under such a grave situation we appeal to all the homoeopathic physicians to be united and to follow immediately whatever recommendations are suggested by CCRH and Ministry of AYUSH.
Let us unite and fight against COVID-19 through Homoeopathy.
