The SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre will study the efficacy of Siddha drugs and the use of BCG vaccine as preventive medicines for COVID-19.
Melvin George, associate professor of clinical pharmacology at the institution, said it was proposed that kabasura kudineer, a siddha formulation, would be studied in collaboration with the National Institute of Siddha. Based on scientific evidence, the institution would document how siddha formulations contributed to the effectiveness of mainline allopathic hospital treatment to cure COVID-19 and prevent its occurrence.
Researcher Satyajit Mahopatra and Dr. George said around 150 people had consented to participate in the study. The group was divided into two sets of 75 people each. One group would get regular medical treatment for the infection, along with Siddha formulations, while the other group would only get the standard medical care. Nearly 40% of the study was completed, the researchers said. Findings about the time taken for cure and the severity of the disease would be published.
The medical college is partnering with the Serum Institute of Pune to test the efficacy of recombinant BCG vaccine in preventing the infection among high-risk patients.
A. Ravikumar, pro vice-chancellor of medical and health sciences, said the continuing uncertainty over the progression of the infection had infused a greater degree of social purpose in the institution to undertake research across medicinal systems.
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