Chennai: The Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha under the Union Ayush ministry has claimed that Chikungunya and Dengue can be effectively managed through Ayurveda and Siddha.
Management of these vector-borne diseases has been a challenge for civic authorities. Both Chikungunya and Dengue are caused by the vector Aedes mosquito (species aegypti). Ayurveda and Siddha have remedies offering a number of single drugs, compound herbal and herbo-mineral combinations, to combat such diseases caused by the vector.
The contemporary modalities of management encompass the use of medication for symptom relief by antipyretics, analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents. Though these measures help to a certain extent during acute pyrexial (abnormal elevation of body temperature / fever) phase, no satisfactory treatment regimen is available for managing the acute phase. Here is where the Indian systems of medicines help, a technical report of CCRAS said.
Chikungunya is not considered a life threatening infection in Ayurveda and Siddha. Treatment modalities can be categorised into symptom modifiers and general health promoters, more specifically to say the drugs that improve the Quality of Life (QOL) and Vector control measures / agents are beneficial in the management of Chikungunya. Diet and lifestyle adoption too make a significant difference.
