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Ayurvedic solution for post-Covid high sugar levels

A global study published in the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Journal says that the fight against hyperglycaemia can be countered with ayurvedic formulations like CSIR-developed BGR-34…reports Asian Lite News

Dysfunction of glucose metabolism resulting in hyperglycaemia, a high blood sugar level, has been found in 14.4 per cent of patients who survived coronavirus, according to a global study published in the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Journal.

With India’s total caseload rose to 3,02,33,183 and achieving the third highest vaccination number,after China and the US, the challenge for health authorities now is to counter the onset of diabetes in post-Covid patients.

They say the fight against hyperglycaemia can be countered with ayurvedic formulations like CSIR-developed BGR-34.

The formulation is based on natural bioactive compounds with Dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory effects to manage blood glucose levels.

Quoting a recent study in the Elsevier journal, they said it has shown DPP-4 inhibitors to be most safe to tackle post-Covid hyperglycaemia.

CSIR-developed BGR-34

The researchers who conducted the study said every patient admitted to a Covid care facility should be investigated for hyperglycaemia on the day of admission itself.

What is BGR-34 all about? BGR-34 is an ayurvedic-derived product for the management of diabetes. It includes natural bioactive compounds of herbal plant Daruharidra with DPP-4 inhibitory effect.

It has been developed by two labs of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) — the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP).

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The post-Covid hyperglycaemia has symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and shortness of breath.

The condition is caused by the virus by damaging pancreatic beta cells leading to insufficient insulin production in the body. The increasing number of this condition among post-Covid patients is not good for India, a home to one in six people with diabetes in the world.

According to a research published in the Journal of Drug Research, the primary source of DPP-4 inhibitor is the herbal plant Daruharidra.

A.K.S. Rawat, a scientist with the Lucknow-based NBRI, which developed BGR-34, said a key ingredient of the ayurvedic formulation is Daruharidra.

CSIR(@CSIR_IND)

Besides Daruharidra, BGR-34 has other herbal elements also that can keep hyperglycaemia in check. Gymnemic acid sourced from Gudmaar medicinal plant and Trigonoside IB found in fenugreek that control hyperglycaemia are present in BGR-34, AIMIL Pharmaceuticals executive director Sanchit Sharma told IANS.

The company produces the CSIR-developed BGR-34 ayurvedic formulation.

Giloy, Vijaysaar and Majeeth, all known for their anti-diabetic properties, are also present in BGR-34, said Rawat.

He said the power of ayurveda has once again been established by several studies that indicate the efficacy of bioactive compounds produced by plants in treatment of post-Covid new onset diabetes.

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India must leverage its maritime position to spur a blue economy

As India prepares for a post Covid phase with a focus on economic revival, reliance on the blue economy, which has not been leveraged fully, will inevitably be amplified, reports Mahua Venkatesh

India’s blue economy “essentially the ocean economy” is making a healthy 4 per cent contribution to India’s gross domestic product.

Yet, this a proverbial drop in the ocean. Unfortunately, India’s marine policy has remained fragmented, notwithstanding the ambitious Sagarmala project.

But as India prepares for a post Covid phase with a focus on economic revival, reliance on the blue economy, which has not been leveraged fully, will inevitably be amplified.

India, with a 7517 km long coastline and1382 islands, has a unique maritime position but it is yet to carve out a well thought-out holistic marine strategy encompassing issues pertaining to economic opportunities and security while maintaining ecological balance.

The draft policy on the framework of the blue economy, taking a 360-degree view was submitted in September last year, but work on it is yet to begin.

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At a time, when a belligerent China is increasing its activities on the South China Sea and elsewhere, India’s marine policy that looks at all angles would be key, experts said.

“With such expanded coastlines, we need to think of the economy along with security. But unlike many other countries with coastlines, India has not leveraged its maritime position as much as it should have,” Nirupama Soundararajan, Senior Fellow and Head of Research, Pahle India Foundation told India Narrative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing at the inauguration of the ‘Maritime India Summit 2021 (PIB)

The draft framework noted that about 1400 million tonnes of cargo is handled by 12 major and 187 non-major ports every year.

The Sagarmala project

Though the Sagarmala project, touted as the “port-led development,” aims at increasing connectivity through waterways and reduce logistics costs, the draft policy has underlined the need to develop similar “port led maritime clusters” with government support on the West and East coasts.

Marine tourism is another important sector. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in its research — Blue economy: An ocean of livelihood opportunities in Indiaï¿½pointed out that India’s marine tourism is one of the fastest growing in the world though it has been brutally hit by the Covid 19 pandemic.

In states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, marine tourism contributed largely to both the state economies and livelihood creation before the pandemic hit, it said. “In Kerala, the total number of jobs created directly and indirectly by the sector between 2009 and 2012 turned out to be around 23 per cent of the total employment. In 2016, the total share of tourism in Tamil Nadu’s employment was more than 22 per cent and 23 per cent in Karnataka’s,” TERI said.

Maldives – how the country used its oceans for economic growth

Many countries in the world have relied on marine tourism to boost their economy. The Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in March highlighted that Maldives, an archipelago state “embarked on the blue economy paradigm to shape its development strategies in order to put the economy on the high growth path.”

“As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Maldives advanced its development journey from a poor state of less than $100 per capita income in the early 1970s to an Upper-Middle income country of $12,500 per capita income in 2020 on account its strong adherence to blue economy sectors,” the study said.

Importance of protecting marine life

Analysts underlined the need to ensure that the ecological balance is maintained while economic activities are increased.

“The ocean framework is not very well regulated and therefore it can easily lead to imbalance. Ocean life is critical and the need to balance the benefits of the blue economy without damaging the ecological balance is crucial,” Soundararajan said.

The government’s draft policy noted that marine pollution is the greatest threat to the health of the oceans. About 80 percent of marine pollution emanates from land based sources specially from coastal cities and communities. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to expand the approach and implementation of Swachh Bharat to the concept of ï¿½Swachh Prithvi, Swachh Sagar’ it said.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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