A Review on Efficacy of Siddha Medicinal Herbs as Antiviral Drugs against COVID-19

In a very short time, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has become a global pandemic. It has infected about 29,155,581 patients and brought forth death rate about 926,544 among 216 countries as recorded by World Health Organization on 15th September 2020. At present, there is no specific and direct treatment or vaccine for this infectious disease. No therapeutic options available to cure the infection in till date which increases the mortality rate across the countries. Currently there is no antiviral treatments have been approved, several approaches have been proposed in western medicine, Chinese medicine, CAM, AYUSH and other systems. Siddha Herbal medicines are achieving high attention because of the extensive therapeutics like potent anti-microbial, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India recommended 12 Siddha herbals (Inji – Zingiber officinale, Thulasi – Ocimum sanctum, Milaku – Piper nigrum, Karunjeeragam – Nigella sativa, Keezhanelli – Phyllanthus niruri, Adhimathuram – Glycyrrhiza glabra, Vellaippoondu – Allium sativum, Citramutti – Sida cardifolia, Seenthil – Tinospora cordifolia, Manjal – Curcuma longa, Elumitchai – Citrus lemon and Vembu – Azadirachta indica) for the prevention by enhancing immunity as well as for the management of this infectious disease in its recent official publication ‘Guidelines for Siddha Practitioners for COVID 19’. This is the common advisory and the anti-viral activity of these herbals against COVID 19 is not established yet. The current situation demands proper herbal drug utilization to prepare the population immunity to fight against the infection. The present review spotlight on the literature review and the review of pharmacological actions of these herbals.