Unlocking the Potential of Traditional Native Medicines - A Perspective to Manage the COVID-19 Pandemic

The last two decades have witnessed an increasing number of viral diseases/outbreaks in various parts of the world. The present scenario of fast-spreading and increasing Coronavirus disease (COVID 19) positive cases is creating a huge threat to the world community. The objective of this paper is to explain the various traditional medicines being followed to counter the viral infection along with other preventive strategies to create large awareness and confidence among the public about the beneficial effects of traditional native medicines. Initially, a real scenario of fast spread of Chikungunya, Dengue and other unknown viral infections, happened during the year 2017 in the state of Tamil Nadu; the southern part of India and the strategies adopted by the Government to counter the epidemic are explained. Further, the medicines being used by the public to counter various viral infections prescribed by the traditional medical practitioners are explained. The characteristics and the benefits of these traditional medicines in wide use are elaborated. All the patients who followed these traditional medicines particularly with Nilavembu (Andrographis paniculata) to counter viral infections during this epidemic got cured. In recent days, there are several medicines of Siddha formulations used to counter respiratory-related viral diseases with the combinations of several leaves and roots of medicinal plants. The government of Tamil Nadu also started using one of these medicines named ‘Kaba Sura Kudi Neer’ as supplementary medicine for corona affected patients after getting convinced by the positive response in the patients. Besides this, the paper also discusses other strategic methodologies to be adopted to overcome the present Covid-19 scenario by improving the overall immunity level in the human system. Under such a scenario, the information presented in the manuscript provides a new dimension of unlocking the potential of ancient traditional native medicine to manage the deadly corona pandemic and to receive the attention of the scientists to consider these medicine for further testing to make it as a suitable medicine for all the coronavirus affected patients throughout the world.