Coronavirus Respiratory Particles

Fifatrol, an ayurvedic formulation composed of time-tested herbs, is effective in treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), a contagious viral and bacterial infection, according to a study published in the International Research Journal of Ayurveda and Yoga. A team of researchers had carried out the study on 203 patients with URTI in various health centres across the country. During the treatment, the health parameters of the patients, who were given Fifatrol twice a day, were checked on the first, fourth and seventh day. As per the study, the patient's condition was found to be improved by 69.5 per cent and 90.36 per cent within the fourth and seventh days respectively. "Effectiveness was evaluated by examining the reduction in symptoms scores at day four and seven respectively. This observational study has gathered evidence about the effectiveness and safety of Fifatrol on the amelioration of the symptoms of URTI," said the authors. The researchers also did not find any adverse impact of the formulations on the patients. Fifatrol has not only been found to be effective in treating URTI but also well accepted by the physicians of Ayurveda for the successful management of conditions like flu and associated symptoms like fever, nasal congestion, running nose, etc, it added. In fact, Fifatrol as an immunity-boosting ayurvedic drug has found a mention as Covid-19 combating formulation in the 'Compendium of Indian Technologies for Combating COVID-19 (Tracing, Testing &Treating)', compiled by the state-run National Research Development Corporation last year, AIMIL Pharma Executive Director Sanchit Sharma said. Normally, the ayurvedic medicines have been seen as supplements to increase immunity, he added. However, the government has been taking several steps to boost the Ayurveda sector. There has been compelling evidence that medicinal herbs can be a first line of defense against infectious diseases. No wonder, being a rich combination of five vital classical formulations like Tribhuvan Kirti Rasa, Mrtunjay Rasa and Sanjivani Vati with extracts from herbs like Guduchi, Daruharidra, Chirayata, Kutaki, Tulsi, Apamarga and Karanja, Fifatrol improves the immune system to fight against viruses and other infections, eases the associated symptoms and fastens the recovery, underlined the study. It also helps fast relief from nasal congestion, body ache, sore throat, and headache, it said. The study on effectiveness of the Ayurveda formulation holds importance given that usually, to treat the infection which is common during winters, people resort directly to antibiotics. It has a huge economic burden as well as high as USD 22 billion a year, leaving a hole in the pocket of the patients. URTI accounts for around 10 million outpatient consultations in a year especially because of the severity of its symptoms.

Breathing is necessary for survival. When you breathe properly, it reduces stress and boosts your immunity, allowing you to stay healthy. Regular and dedicated Pranayama and Yoga practise is one of the most important ways to improve your breathing capacity and prowess. These two holistic practises offer numerous techniques or asanas to increase one's lung capacity and that of the entire breathing system, lowering the chances of contracting respiratory problems and/or reducing their impact, if they exist. As a result, a thorough, long-term practise of the healing therapies of Pranayama and Yoga should be on everyone's to-do list if they want to stay healthy. How to Know If You Have A Respiratory Issue? Asthma, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis (TB), bronchitis, and lung cancer are the most common types of respiratory diseases. A majority of respiratory disease symptoms are also fairly common, including shortness of breath, a persistent nagging cough, chest pain, and blood in your sputum, also known as hemoptysis. It's important to remember that people with asthma typically exhibit symptoms such as coughing with sputum, general tiredness, and a reliance on seasonal changes. On the other hand, common TB patients exhibit symptoms such as cough with sputum, hemoptysis, and weight loss, whereas COPD patients exhibit cough with sputum and major fatigue, which worsens over time if not treated properly. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, please see a lung specialist right away. How Yoga & Pranayama can Help? Yoga is based on five principles: positive thinking and meditation, relaxation, exercise, Pranayama, and a nutritious diet. Controlled breathing, also known as Pranayama, is a technique known to increase our lung capacity and overall bodily functions through regular practise by controlling inspiration and expiration. The technique makes use of diaphragmatic and abdominal muscles, which improves the human respiratory system. Regular practise of Pranayam techniques such as Kapalbhati, Nadisuddi, Bramhari, Bhastrika, and others has been shown to benefit practitioners. And we must do them on a regular basis if we want healthy lungs that will last a lifetime. In addition to Pranayama, if one practices the yogic exercises known as Yogic Asanas, the benefits accrued are multi-fold. This form of exercise connects our body to our heart and soul, and puts us back in touch with our inner being. This way, we are the first to know if we are feeling out of balance and unwell, thus we can look at how to rectify the situation. Some of the yoga poses that can be practiced for respiratory issues like TB, asthma; COPD, bronchitis etc are Dhanurasna, Bhujangasana, Matsyasana and Trikonasana. These poses are very effective in lung cleansing and strengthening chest muscles. If one is practicing a layered asana such as Surya Namsakar, it has major detoxifying effects on our internal organs as well as brings about a sense of relaxation. All of these practises, however, must be combined with healthy eating as part of our daily routine. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and pulses should be consumed on a daily basis and cooked with the appropriate spices for your body dosha type and season. Consuming local seasonal fruits and vegetables also boosts our immunity and helps us fight disease more effectively. While all of this may sound like general advice, our lungs will not be strong on their own unless our overall health is good. Breathing is the first thing we do instinctively after birth, but when we are confronted with respiratory diseases, that instinct becomes a laborious task. Let us work together to make this activity as simple as possible by utilising alternative therapies.(Deepak Mittal, Founder, Divine Soul Yoga) Read More► Professional Tips for The Perfect Summer Body

Six in 10 people with SARS-CoV-2 still have at least one symptom of long Covid a year later, with fatigue, shortness of breath and irritability being the most common, a new study has shown. The study, being presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Portugal, found that Covid-19 symptoms that don't clear up after 15 weeks are likely to last at least a year. An estimated 25-40 per cent of people with Covid-19 develop long Covid, persisting symptoms that can affect multiple organs and include mental health problems. Most of the data to date, however, is based on patients who were hospitalised with Covid-19 and it isn't clear how it applies to Covid-19 cases more generally. To find out more, Aurelie Fischer and colleagues at the Luxembourg Institute of Health in Luxembourg, surveyed almost 300 people a year after they were diagnosed with Covid. The 289 participants (50.2 per cent women) had an average age of 40.2 years and were divided in three groups, based on the severity of their initial infection: asymptomatic, mild and moderate/severe Covid-19. They were asked to fill in a detailed questionnaire about whether they were experiencing 64 common long Covid-related symptoms. A third (34.3 per cent) were experiencing fatigue a year on, 12.9 per cent said respiratory symptoms were affecting their quality of life and more than half (54.2 per cent) had ongoing sleep problems. Participants who had moderate/severe Covid-19 were twice as likely to still have at least one symptom a year on than those whose initial infection was asymptomatic. Having had moderate/severe Covid-19 was also associated with more sleep problems after a year than being asymptomatic (63.8 per cent vs. 38.6 per cent). "Participants with a mild form of the acute illness were more likely than those who'd been asymptomatic to have at least one symptom at one year, and to have sleep problems, but to a lesser extent than those with a moderate or severe acute illness," Fischer said. One in seven participants (14.2 per cent) said they could not envisage coping with their symptoms long-term. Further, the analysis also revealed that some groups of symptoms tend to occur together, suggesting that there are multiple different types of long Covid. Read More► Covid Not Only Infects Human Retina, But Can Also Replicate in It

New York: A team of researchers has provided important insights into how SARS-CoV-2 the virus responsible for Covid-19 can lead to long-term pain. Using a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the research team found that the infection left a gene expression signature in the dorsal root ganglia that remained even after the virus cleared. The signature matched gene expression patterns seen in pain caused by other conditions. "A significant number of people suffering from long Covid experience sensory abnormalities, including various forms of pain," said researcher Randal (Alex) Serafini from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. "We used RNA sequencing to get a snapshot of the biochemical changes SARS-CoV-2 triggers in a pain-transmitting structure called dorsal root ganglia," Serafini added. For the study, to be presented at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics' annual meeting, the research team involved a hamster model of intranasal Covid-19 infection that closely reflected the symptoms experienced by people. The researchers observed that SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters showed a slight hypersensitivity to touch early after infection, which became more severe over time, up to 30 days. They then performed similar experiments with the Influenza A virus to determine if other RNA viruses promote similar responses. In contrast to SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A caused an early hypersensitivity that was more severe but faded by four days post-infection. Analysis of gene expression patterns in the dorsal root ganglia revealed that SARS-CoV-2 caused a more prominent change in expression levels of genes implicated in neuron-specific signalling processes compared to influenza. Additional experiments showed that four weeks after recovering from a viral infection, flu-infected hamsters had no signs of long-term hypersensitivity, while SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters showed worsened hypersensitivity, reflecting chronic pain. The hamsters that had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 had gene expression signatures similar to those seen in the dorsal root ganglia of mice affected by pain that was induced by inflammation or nerve injury. Read More► Covid Not Only Infects Human Retina, But Can Also Replicate in It