Fighting COVID-19: A Study to Compare Viable Treatment Options across Different Medical Systems

During COVID-19, while many drugs from conventional medicine (CM) were falling short, those from Ayurveda, Siddha, Herbal Medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) showed promising potential. The published recovery-aimed clinical studies on medicines from above-mentioned systems were retrieved. For CM, meta-analyses of studies using ICMR-protocol drugs, viz. hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, favipiravir, ivermectin & remdesivir were searched. For other systems, preferably active-controlled, stand-alone studies, were considered.  Their general characteristics, efficacy and safety outcomes were documented.  The outcomes were evaluated on basis of a methodology inspired from ‘WHO-Minimal common outcome measure set for COVID-19 clinical research’. The CM drugs were utilized either in multiple combinations or independently. Most studied combination was HCQ and azithromycin. HCQ efficacy was studied in biggest sample. These drugs did not exhibit significant efficacy for early clinical recovery and viral clearance. The adverse event (AE) incidences were also prominent. Barring TCM, studies using Ayurveda regime Tab. Immunofree and Cap. Regimmune and CVO+C, were done in only symptomatic patients. The efficacy of Tab. Immunofree- Cap. Regimmune regime was better than conventional care including azithromycin and favipiravir. The AE incidences in these studies were minimal. Medicines from alternative systems except CM exhibited better efficacy and safety in all outcome measures.