<p> <br />The Karnataka State Council for Indian Medicine (KSCIM) has reportedly approached the State Health Department to work on effective preventive drugs. KSCIM president, Dr Mohammed Rafi H Hakeem said, “Ayurvedic medicines focus on prevention. In fact, people are in a panic because they don’t know whether there is a preventive medicine for the H1N1 virus. Hence, Ayurveda concentrates on immunity development.”<br /><br />However, he lamented that there was no research being done on this line of medicine in the state. “Even if someone does some research, getting a sanction from the Government takes months,” he said. <br /><br />Dr Satish Padmanabhan, a homoeopathic doctor from VcNally Homoeopathic Pharmacy, claimed that Influenzium 200 was a preventive medicine for various strains of influenza virus. But this drug has not been tried specifically against the H1N1 strain. <br /><br />“It has been administered during various influenza outbreaks in the past. It helps build resistance and is safe and natural,” he said. <br /><br />While Dr Veerabrahmachary, president of Karnataka Board of Homoeopathy System of Medicine (KBHSM) acknowledged that Influenzium 200 was a match to the H1N1 influenza symptom, he also talked about another match called Arsenicalb 200.<br /><br />“Homoeopathy discipline follows the principle - what is curative is preventive. So we treat according to the symptoms,” he said. As for the patients coming for treatment, he said, <br /><br />“Earlier, I used to treat 20 to 30 patients a day but in the last one week the patient flow has increased by 30 to 40 percent. In fact, this is the case with many of my other colleagues too.” <br /><br />Drugs stocked<br /><br />Another Homoeopathic store Mahaveer Ayur and Homoeo, opposite Lady Curzon and Bowring Hospital, had stocked medicines claiming they were preventive.<br /><br />Suresh Shottam, who has been a naturopath for over 15 years, said that as people are in sheer panic, he has been getting at least 50 calls a day from different parts of the country. He said, “Many naturopaths are prescribing immune boosting medicines as there is a feeling that a strong immune system will ward off any kind of virus. However, this is only partially correct. Apart from this, people should also take anti-viral medicines. If both are taken together it will not only minimise damage but also decrease the viral load and allow the immune system to fight the virus.”<br /></p>
<p> <br />The Karnataka State Council for Indian Medicine (KSCIM) has reportedly approached the State Health Department to work on effective preventive drugs. KSCIM president, Dr Mohammed Rafi H Hakeem said, “Ayurvedic medicines focus on prevention. In fact, people are in a panic because they don’t know whether there is a preventive medicine for the H1N1 virus. Hence, Ayurveda concentrates on immunity development.”<br /><br />However, he lamented that there was no research being done on this line of medicine in the state. “Even if someone does some research, getting a sanction from the Government takes months,” he said. <br /><br />Dr Satish Padmanabhan, a homoeopathic doctor from VcNally Homoeopathic Pharmacy, claimed that Influenzium 200 was a preventive medicine for various strains of influenza virus. But this drug has not been tried specifically against the H1N1 strain. <br /><br />“It has been administered during various influenza outbreaks in the past. It helps build resistance and is safe and natural,” he said. <br /><br />While Dr Veerabrahmachary, president of Karnataka Board of Homoeopathy System of Medicine (KBHSM) acknowledged that Influenzium 200 was a match to the H1N1 influenza symptom, he also talked about another match called Arsenicalb 200.<br /><br />“Homoeopathy discipline follows the principle - what is curative is preventive. So we treat according to the symptoms,” he said. As for the patients coming for treatment, he said, <br /><br />“Earlier, I used to treat 20 to 30 patients a day but in the last one week the patient flow has increased by 30 to 40 percent. In fact, this is the case with many of my other colleagues too.” <br /><br />Drugs stocked<br /><br />Another Homoeopathic store Mahaveer Ayur and Homoeo, opposite Lady Curzon and Bowring Hospital, had stocked medicines claiming they were preventive.<br /><br />Suresh Shottam, who has been a naturopath for over 15 years, said that as people are in sheer panic, he has been getting at least 50 calls a day from different parts of the country. He said, “Many naturopaths are prescribing immune boosting medicines as there is a feeling that a strong immune system will ward off any kind of virus. However, this is only partially correct. Apart from this, people should also take anti-viral medicines. If both are taken together it will not only minimise damage but also decrease the viral load and allow the immune system to fight the virus.”<br /></p>
