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Introduction: Various herbs are known to confer nephroprotectivity against renal damage of different origins. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers is known to treat kidney disorders. Yet, a lacuna of studying the protective effect of the herb on drug induced nephrotoxicity at different time periods exists. Aim: To determine the protective effect of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers on drug induced nephrotoxic biochemical changes upon post-treatment with the herb. Material and Methods: An experimental study was carried out in Centre for Toxicology and Developmental Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from September 2020 to October 2020. Gentamicin induced drug nephrotoxicity model was employed for the study. The ethanolic extract of Tinospora cordifolia was prepared. Total 51 adult male wistar rats were housed under standard animal laboratory conditions for 30 days and were assigned to four groups: Control group (Olive oil, per os), Nephrotoxicity group (Gentamicin), Toxicity cessation group (Gentamicin-Olive oil) and Post-treatment group (Gentamicin T.cordifolia ethanolic extract) groups. To induce nephrotoxicity, gentamicin (100 mg/Kg) was administered through the intraperitoneal route for 8 days. The ethanolic extract of the stem of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers (400 mg/Kg) was administered orally for one, two and three weeks following nephrotoxicity induction. Levels of activity of Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase, Reduced Glutathione contentand Lipid peroxidation in the kidney were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Post-hoc tests. Results: The reduction in superoxide dismutase (6.33±1.19 unit/mg/mt), catalase (57.56±25.89 mcm/mt/mg ptn), glutathione peroxidase (5.79±1.87 nm/mt/mg ptn) activity, and reduced glutathione (4.98±0.31mcm/g tissue) levels and increase in the lipid peroxidation (196.28±100.05 nm/g tissue) in the kidney due to gentamicin nephrotoxicity was reversed upon post-treatment with Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers extract for 1 week (7.06±0.25 unit/mg/mt, 119.69±22.79 mcm/mt/mg ptn, 7.08±1.73 nm/mt/mg ptn, 6.19±0.99 mcm/g tissue and 93.10±9.11 nm/g tissue), 2 weeks (7.03±0.43 unit/mg/mt, 181.79±39.00 mcm/mt/mg ptn, 5.07±0.81 nm/mt/mg ptn, 7.58±0.73 mcm/g tissue and 188.31±54.89 nm/g tissue) and 3 weeks (7.81±0.47 unit/mg/mt, 165.83±37.48 mcm/mt/mg ptn, 3.92±1.87 nm/mt/mg ptn, 7.03±1.28 mcm/g tissue, 214.40±72.93 nm/g tissue). Conclusion: Post-treatment with T.cordifolia (Willd.) Miers stem extract is protective in drug induced nephrotoxic condition, even upon 1 week of administration. Its therapeutic influence on the alterations in the oxidative stress markers and antioxidant levels produced due to Gentamicin nephrotoxicity has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a devastating pandemic. Despite the worldwide efforts to find a therapeutic strategy and prophylaxis, we have not attained a complete success. Hence, there exists an urgent need for development of alternative solutions from Ayurveda system of medicine for COVID-19. Aim: To evaluate clevira, a polyherbal ayurvedic formulation, for its efficacy and safety in treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients as an add on drug. Materials and Methods: This randomised control trial was carried out from May 2020 to July 2020, in 100 patients (50 in test group and 50 in control group) confirmed with COVID-19 infection (mild to moderate cases) by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) at a tertiary care Government Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, India. The test group received tablet clevira orally twice daily after food, in the morning and night for 14 days, as an add on, in addition to standard care of treatment as received by the control group. The primary outcome was assessment of clinical recovery, proportion of patients with swabs negative for COVID-19 in RT-PCR and reduction of Viral cycle threshold ratio. The results of the both group were analysed and compared using Chi-square test and student's t-test. Results: Significant improvement (p-value=0.0338) was seen in patients on day 5, who got treated with clevira as add on drug. An 86% (43) of patients turned out to be COVID-19 RTPCR test negative on day 5 while in the control group 66% (33) of patients turned out to be negative. There was a statistically significant difference (p-value=0.0196) between the test and control groups on comparing the mean difference in CT value results between day 1 and day 5. Clevira when given in addition to the standard of care, showed a significant improvement in signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: Clevira, with its polyherbal ingredients show a significant antiviral action against coronavirus when given in addition to the standard of care medications suggested by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), over a period of 14 days in treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]