New Delhi: At a time when the country is struggling with highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19, scientists at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have found that anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties in the fumes of AirVaidya herbal dhoopa (AVHD), an ayurvedic formulation, could be effective in preventing air-borne infections in humans and home settings. As per the scientists, 'AirVaidya' is prepared by using phytochemicals from 19 medicinal ingredients such as raal, neem patr, vasa, ajwain, haldi, lemon grass (lamajjaka), vacha, tulsi, peeli sarson, safed chandan, ushir, sudh guggal, nagarmotha, mehendi, tagar, loban, kapoor, jigat and cardamom husk, which are known for their potential therapeutic effects to combat the virus.
According to BHU professor KRC Reddy, who led the research, dhoop (fumigation) is a medicinal therapy and it's been described in Ayurveda compendia for ages. Being potent in anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-viral action and given rising Covid-19 cases, it's found very effective in keeping Covid-19 virus at bay, said Reddy, who is a professor at Department of Rasa Shastra (Ayurveda), Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU.
The BHU teacher further explained, "During the research, participants were advised to inhale the dhoopa fumes for 10 minutes twice a day, and it was found that only a few, who were on the medicinal therapy, showed Covid like symptoms." The dhoopa, which is prepared by AIMIL Pharmaceuticals, is also found safe on drosophila flies in the first phase of the clinical trial, Reddy said. The BHU scientists, who have now completed the second phase of the clinical trial of 'AirVaidya herbal dhoopa' (AVHD), also said that it's beneficial in disinfecting home and office surroundings from
infectious viruses.