Ayush developing drugs for prevention and management of vector borne diseases

The central government on Friday said that traditional medicines are being developed for prevention and management of vector borne diseases. Pre-clinical studies of a new drug for dengue - Ayush PJ7 - have been completed and new drugs for other diseases like malaria, filariasis and Kala Azar are under development, minister of state for ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (Ayush) Shripad Yasso Naik informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

The central government has set up four research councils, namely Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), which are involved in research activities, inter-alia including development/formulation of new drugs.

CCRAS has formulated Ayush 64, a poly herbal, anti malarial drug. It has recently developed Ayush SL, a new ayurvedic drug for filarisis and Ayush PJ7 for dengue. Pre-clinical studies for Ayush SL and Ayush PJ7 have been completed.
 
CCRAS has further made deliberations for conducting clinical studies with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to counter diseases like dengue.

Further, CCRUM has made observational studies on the efficacy of some Unani drugs in the vector borne diseases, viz, Malaria, filariasis and Kala Azar which has showed significant therapeutic effects in subsiding different signs and symptoms in these conditions.

CCRH has conducted preventive studies on dengue and chikungunya. Clinical management studies on dengue, Japanese encephalitis and acute lymphadenitis due to filariasis have already been conducted by CCRH.

The Central Research Councils have developed guidelines for management and prevention of dengue, chickungunya with their respective system of medicine to counter dengue and chickungunya.

Wide publicity through prominent newspapers have been carried by these councils during July, 2016 to October, 2016. CCRH has also developed guidelines for prevention and management in the case of Japanese encephalitis.