Since the WHO announced Covid 19 as a global pandemic, the government of India started adopting strategies to tackle the crisis and ramp up the health infrastructure to deal with the cases. In this backdrop it was watched with great expectation that Ayurveda, the traditional health care system of India would be considered to play a role in the management of cases. During this period there were a lot of discussions on social media groups by Ayurveda physicians across the country questioning as to why Ayurveda was still not being considered? This provided the stimulus to develop the survey ‘Ayurveda for Covid 19” and was released on the 29th of March 2020 by the authors to collect opinions and suggestions on the issue. A total of 17 questions were created with multiple choice options and a few questions were open ended for respondents to suggest single herbs, herbal and herbo-mineral formulations that could be used in the management of Covid 19 cases. A total of 449 responses were received by the authors and these were analyzed and a report was generated. This report was then used by the authors to develop a proposal titled “Comprehensive Ayurveda Treatment Response Strategy for Covid 19” on the 2nd of April 2020 which was submitted to the Government of India. The authors present the analysis and its implications.

Shankha (Conch) is one of member of Sudha varga (A class of calcium containing compound). It is used in various stomach ailments from many centuries. Shankha Bhasma (Conch Ash) is chief ingredient of many formulations. Physical and chemical characterization is fundamental step to understand the importance of determining efficacy and evaluating the clinically approved medicines of Tradition and complementary medicine (TCM). The physical characterization of Conch Ash was done by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX), and Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR) and particle size analysis by sieving technique and composition of heavy metals and its limits was determined using by Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). For chemical characterization pH, Loss on drying, total ash, Acid insoluble ash, Water soluble ash was performed. The results revealed that Bhasmikarana (Incineration) process use in preparation ultimately changes the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate of Shankha aragonite form into calcite from, along with formation of Portlandite and Lime in majority. FTIR spectra also confirm this assertion. Cubic-like calcite crystals of Conch Ash and rod-like aragonite crystals of conch shell powders were observed by SEM. The prepared formulation has nanoparticles with the average particle size ranging from to 62-90 nm as estimated using SEM and crystal size analysis by XRD.

Aasavikarana is an age-old technique used in Ayurvedic Pharmaceutics. It dates back to “Rig Veda” which indicates the use of Soma and Sura which has been used in different medicinal preparations, surgical procedures and in many chemical and alchemical operations. Asava Arishtas (medical tincture), and Shukta (acidic fermented product) without doubt is one of the most potent medicinal formulations. Among many other reasons, one cause for its extraordinary performance may be the method of phytochemical extraction from it. The technique of microbial maceration of phytochemical extraction is inviting much attention in nutraceuticals due to its high yield, convenient, energy-saving and cost effective. Aasavikarana is a complex pharmaceutical process of microbial maceration and various other chemical processes like fermentation, Maillard reaction, hydrolysis of polymers and formation of antioxidant species. An effort is made to enlighten the process of microbial maceration in Aasavikarana and their effect on formulations in the present article.

As per the ayurvedic text vayu (vata) is the main governing factor in our body as well as in the universe. Also it is mentioned that the three Doshas are predominant in different stages of our age like Kapha in Balyavastha (Childhood), Pitta in yuvavastha (Young age), Vata in Vriddhavastha (old age). That’s why the degeneration process is more in old age due to the predominance of Vata Dosha in our body. Sandhivata (Osteoarthitis) is one of the common examples of the degenerative disease in old age. In India Sandhivata is more prevalent in postmenopausal age group. For the management of sandhivata vatashamak drugs, Brimhan drug, snehan-swedan and Vasti chikitsa etc are being adopted as per the condition of the disease and the patient. In the present study an effort has been made to manage Sandhivata (Osteoarthritis) with matrabasti and shaman drugs. For the study total 100 no of patients of sandhivata were taken and treated with matrabasti with Sudhabala taila and ketakyadi taila. After treatment significant relief was noticed in both of the groups. In group A(Sudhabala taila) patients 14%, 66%, 16% of patients experienced complete remission, marked improvement and moderate improvement respectively. Where as in group B (Katakyadi taila) patients the same was 10%, 68%, and 20% respectively. The rest 4% in group A and 2% in group B patients were experienced no relief. Hence the group B patients showed better result in comparision to group A patients. From the study it can be concluded the matrabasti has a great scope in the management of Janusandhigata vata.