Natural Products and Homemade Remedies as COVID-19 Active Agents: An Overview

Introduction

COVID-19 outbreak in Chinese city of Wuhan, occurred in December 2019, due to a novel strain of Coronavirus, named as, SARS-CoV-2. According to the official figures, this viral disease has proved deadly/ fatal in over 5% cases in China. Soon, the COVID-19 disease started spreading in not only China’s neighborhood, but far off places, like Europe, N. America, Australia, etc. Subsequently, the WHO declared it as a Global Pandemic, and named the novel Coronavirus, as SARS-CoV-2, which is a single stranded RNA virus, with almost 95% Genetic resemblance with SARS Coronavirus, which showed a mortality rate of over 10% during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, in 2002-2003. The mortality in such viral infections, occurs mainly due to respiratory failure, as a result of pulmonary pneumonia.

This sudden outbreak, shocked the whole world, with Commentary

allegations, claims, and counterclaims, all around. The novel virus, was even christened, as Chinese, or Wuhan virus, mainly by the USA. Recently, WHO’s World Health Assembly, decided to investigate the outbreak of COVID-19, including the Chinese conduct in the matter. This investigation will hopefully answer the questions like, whether SARS-CoV-2, is an artificially created virus, or a result of an ‘inter-species jump/ leap’ by a Bat virus, with which this virus bears almost 98% genetic resemblance.

Remdesivir, a drug developed originally against Ebola virus, by Gilead Sciences, along with a drug combination, comprising of Azithromycin and Hydroxy Chloroquine, is said to be effective [1].

Ara-C was the first anti-viral, nucleoside drug, discovered from a marine organism/ sponge. Since then, Marine Natural products have yielded several bioactive compounds, comprising of diverse chemical structures and physico- chemical properties [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10].

Remdesivir is a nucleotide analog, with is a peptidomimetic drug, and acts by enzyme inhibition, preventing the virus’s spike protein to attach to the Heat Shock Protein A5, which enables it’s entry into the healthy human cell.

Some preliminary, unconfirmed studies, claim that even Withanone, an epoxy, keto-lactone from Withania somniferum, can also be effective in preventing the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cell.

Similarly, the anti-helminthic drug Ivermectin, is said to be effective in checking the rising virus load, inside human body.

The chemical compounds, possessing lactone, ketone, nucleotide residues, epoxy groupings, and other highly reactive moieties, and functional groups, seem to be the most active/ effective pharmacophores against the SARS-CoV-2.

Azithromycin, a semi-synthetic, 15-membered, N- containing macrolide antibiotic, along with Hydroxy Chloroquine, was initially claimed to be an effective drug combination.

Till now, several drugs/ drug combinations have been claimed to be effective, but the search for an effective remedy is still not over.

During the past 5 months, hit and trial methods are on, for the real drug of choice.

Every now and then, claims of having discovered the desired ‘Wonder Drug’, emerge from various parts of the world, as this SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus, without an effective drug or vaccine against it.

Taxol, the classical natural product-based, anti-cancer drug, along the Vascular disrupting agents, due to their unique chemical / structural characteristics may prove to be effective remedies against SARS-CoV-2 [11, 12].

Here I chose to share my personal experience, with local application of pure deshi ghee, pure fat obtained from cow/ buffalo milk, in mitigating Post- Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN). My right eye, and forhead suffered from the severe infection of Herpes zoster opthalmicus viral attack in November, 1986. Fortunately, my infected right eye, retained it’s vision, after the infection was cured. But the affected forehead, and the adjoining skin was still under severe neuralgic pain, which very gradually relieved with the passage of time. But this pain and the associated discomfort, was considerably eased due to Divine Blessings of Satguru Madhu Paramhans jee, since September 2011.

Since January 2020, I began applying 100% pure milk fat/ pure deshi ghee, on almost a regular/ daily basis, to my affected right eye, and the forehead above it, and found considerable improvement!

The itching, occasional shooting pain, and the permanent feeling of discomfort has almost disappeared. The eye, also feels a lot more healthy, during these 8 months.

Similarly, I believe local application of small amounts of pure ghee, on almost regular basis into the eyes, eyelids, and adjoining areas, will definitely improve our Natural/ innate immunity system to fight other viral infections, including COVID-19, as well.

This proposal/ recommendation is based on my personal experience, which needs to be verified by experimental data and evidence.

But it is safe to conclude/ propose at the moment, that pure, homemade, pure deshi ghee, has no adverse effects, when put in the eyes, even if we do not have any medical evidence at the moment, to declare it as an immunity booster/ enhancer.

This unique property of 100% pure milk fat, can be effectively employed to combat other diseases, and used as an effective tool to augment/ enhance body immunity, particularly by strengthening the nervous system [13].

I think, this single fact has the potential of revolutionizing our therapeutic system.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has presented the biggest threat to survival and well being of mankind.

The Mother Nature again, can come to our rescue, in this grave hour of crisis.

Herbs such as Tinospora cordifolia, also possess several compounds having these oxygen-containing reactive moieties. Several such herbs, and those having high fibre content can prove to be immunity boosters, which may help the body to successfully overcome the viral infection. A healthy, balanced diet, along with regular exercise, can help develop effective immunity against the virus.

We need to remain vigilant, maintain physical distancing, still stay united, at least till an effective drug, and/ or a vaccine is finally developed against SARS-CoV-2.

Acknowledgement

The author most thankfully acknowledges the extreme grace of His Holiness, Satguru Madhu Paramhans jee’s extreme grace and Divine blessings (www.sahibbandgi.org), and the cooperation, and encouragement, unconditionally extended by Smt. Aparna Pandey, in preparation of this manuscript.