A Meta-Analysis of Traditional Medicine Systems in the Management of COVID-19: Roles of Siddha, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Keywords:
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha medicine, homeopathy, complementary and integrative medicine, herbal medicine, systematic review, meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials, safetyAbstract
Background: Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, traditional and alternative medicine systems were heavily promoted and used in different environments, often alongside conventional treatments. However, the evidence supporting these methods is varied and often based on small studies with inconsistent outcome definitions. This review compiles clinical data on four widely recognized systems—Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, Siddha, and homeopathy—focusing on their effectiveness and safety in treating COVID-19.
Methods:We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, the AYUSH Research Portal, CNKI, and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed research released between December 2019 and June 2024. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials, and prospective cohort studies involving patients with lab-confirmed COVID-19, comparing traditional medicine interventions—either on their own or combined with standard treatments—against placebos, no treatment, or usual care. We evaluated study bias using RoB 2 for RCTs and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational research. When data allowed, we conducted a random-effects meta-analysis using relevant effect measures (risk ratio/odds ratio for binary outcomes; mean difference/standardized mean difference for continuous ones).
Results:We included 78 studies (48 on TCM, 22 on Ayurveda, 3 on Siddha, and 5 on homeopathy). Most studies focused on patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. TCM was linked to slight improvements in symptom duration (SMD -0.32, 95% CI -0.50 to -0.14) and shorter hospital stays (MD -1.62 days, 95% CI -2.30 to -0.94). Ayurvedic treatments—such as AYUSH-64 and Ashwagandha-based plans—were often reported to help clear the virus faster and ease symptoms, although results varied significantly. Evidence on Siddha remedies (e.g., Kabasura Kudineer) was limited to small studies that
suggested potential symptom relief. Homeopathy trials didn’t show any significant advantages over placebos or standard treatments. Reported side effects were mostly minor, but safety reporting across studies was inconsistent.
Conclusions:Findings indicate that specific TCM and Ayurvedic treatments may offer modest additional benefits for easing symptoms in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases. However, variations in study design, inconsistent safety reporting, and scarce data on severe cases weaken confidence in these results. Siddha treatments need more thorough investigation, and homeopathy lacks solid evidence of effectiveness. Future research should emphasize standardized formulations, clear outcome definitions, preregistered protocols, and thorough monitoring of side effects to support evidence-based inclusion of traditional methods where appropriate.
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