The herbal drug treatment yielded results with zero side-effects, said doctors. (AP/Representational Image) The herbal drug treatment yielded results with zero side-effects, said doctors. (AP/Representational Image)

In a first, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH have completed the first phase of a herbal drug trial to treat superficial wounds.

The drug, AYUSH C1 Oil, used by the tribal population to treat wounds, has been tried on 30 patients who visited AIIMS. As per doctors, the results were found to be effective.

During the first phase, the doctors opted for regular healing treatment using allopathic medicines on 30 patients, while another batch of 30 patients was treated with the herbal drug. The herbal drug treatment yielded results with zero side-effects, said doctors.

“The herbal drug was discovered by the Ministry of AYUSH and trials began in 2015-2016. We have completed the first phase of the project and will submit a report to the Ministry by the end of this year,” Dr Maneesh Singhal, head, department of plastic, reconstructive and burns surgery, AIIMS, told The Indian Express.

According to the World Health Organisation, 65% of India’s rural population uses Ayurvedic remedies, mostly due to poor access to modern health facilities. The project has been funded by the AYUSH ministry.

“We have tested the drug on superficial wounds and the results have been good. If we measure the results of normal remedy with this herbal drug treatment, then result of the latter is a notch better. No patient has complained of any problem,” said Dr Singhal.

In the last few years, the Ministry of AYUSH has taken a number of administrative and policy measures to mainstream alternative systems of medicine.

On November 9, 2014, the Centre elevated AYUSH to a separate ministry.

On Monday, Rajya Sabha members batted for higher funding for the ministry in a bid to encourage traditional systems of medicine, and stressed that it will benefit millions of people in the country.

“The Government of India is pressing for the use of natural medicines. But in the absence of any evidence, people are still having doubts about effects of herbal medicines. This is a good initiative. Effects of traditional medicines, if proved by science, will give a good push to the specialty which has been around for thousands of years,” said Dr Singhal.

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