'Alternative medicines can cure swine flu'
Times of India: 10 August 2009, 10:03pm IST

At a time when swine flu is taking lives across the globe with India being no exception to it, very few know that its sure shot treatment is
hidden in the country itself. The oldest mode of medicine -- Ayurveda has a cure for the much talked about swine flu. While there is panic among people when it comes to the tests and medication of the H1N1 virus, the Ayurveda experts claim to know methods of prevention and cure of the disease.

In contrast to Allopathy medication being preferred by the apprehensive patients, there are few takers of the ayurveda medicines even if it claims to provide hundred per cent treatment. Dr Bhagwan Singh, principal and superintendent of State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow, says, "The disease (swine flu) and its treatment is already mentioned in our old books of medicines by sages. On the basis of the symptoms of swine flu, it has been given the name `vatashlesmic' fever in the ayurvedic medicine books."

He further added, "Whenever there is a change in the environment due to spurt in growth of any kind of virus, human beings are the first one to be affected by it. For treating a patient infected with H1N1 virus, ayurvedic medicines like Sanjawini Vati and Tribhuvan Kriti Ras can be given. These medicines are prepared by mixing 12-14 ayurvedic ingredients selected on the basis of the symptoms of the viral disease."

Ayurveda claims to have preventive medicine for H1N1 infection also. Professor, P S Srivastava, department of Kaya Chikitsa, State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow opines, "On the basis of symptoms like cough, cold, sore throat and fever, one cannot be considered as a patient of swine flu. So to be on the safer side, one could take a medicine named as Gurahi for the sake of prevention. Apart from this, one can also have tea or hot water adding black tulsi leaves to it and following other hygienic practices like using mask etc."