Homoeopathic medicine Arsenicum album, the prophylactic/ immune booster in COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: Homoeopathic medicine Arsenicum album (Ars. alb) has been advised by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India based on the recommendations of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy as a prophylactic/immune booster for prevention of COVID-19 disease. This paper narrates available evidence from laboratory studies, clinical studies, and toxicological studies for Ars. alb as a prophylactic/ immune booster. Methods: Published literature regarding immunomodulatory, toxicological, and therapeutic effects of the homoeopathic medicine Ars. alb was reviewed. Results: Homoeopathic literature records the use of Ars. alb for fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell, coryza, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, etc. Ars. alb in its crude form is toxic, acting over numerous systems of the human body. It acts over the macrophages and lymphocytes hindering normal immune response. The toxic effects of crude arsenic are neutralized by ultra-high dilution of arsenic trioxide, thus stimulating an immune response, the memory of which retained by the organism helps to prevent the infection. Highly diluted Ars. alb modulates reactive oxygen species and cytokine secretion, decreases in interleukin-6 production in macrophages, which are central mediators of the immune system, wound healing, and body homeostasis. The molecular effects and clinical presentation of the COVID-19 and Ars. alb are similar over the response to the immune system and clinically are similar to a great extent. Conclusion: Primary evidence suggests possibility of homoeopathic medicine Ars. alb as a prophylactic immune booster medicine, maintaining an optimal immune response in the human body. Further pre-clinical and clinical studies are warranted.