Banaras Hindu University to study Use of Ashwagandha on Covid-19 warriors

IMS in BHU will study use of Ashwagandha as a test drug for prophylactic use among frontline health workers and Yashtimadhu for supplementary therapy as a standard treatment of Corona patients

The Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will study the use of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) as a test drug for prophylactic use among frontline health workers and Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra) for supplementary therapy as a standard treatment of Corona patients with mild and moderate symptoms.

According to Professor Anand Chaudhary, head of the department of Rasa Shastra, of Ayurveda faculty IMS-BHU and centre coordinator for the project, “As a part of the project of ministry of AYUSH, Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the university was assigned the task of conducting studies on Ashwagandha and Yashtimadhu.”

He said, “Ashwagandha will be tested for study in prophylactic use among frontline health workers of SSL Hospital of BHU and other healthcare workers, while Yashtimadhu will be tested as drug for adjunct therapy with the standard treatment of conventional medicine on Covid-19 patients under treatment in BHU with mild and moderate symptoms.”

JNU attack: Protests continue across India as govt pushes for calm

Union minister Prakash Javadekar expressed confidence that the ongoing police probe will ‘unmask’ the accused

Students came out in large numbers across the country on Wednesday to protest Sunday’s violence against students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) while Opposition parties, including the Congress, announced they would soon meet to decide their future course of action.

In view of the continuing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the inaugural function of the third Khelo India event to be held in Guwahati from January 10 to 22. In a separate development, the Centre moved the Supreme Court on the day, seeking transfer of petitions challenging constitutional validity of the CAA pending before different high courts to the top court.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde posted the matter for January 10. The Bench, also comprising justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, said, “We are of the prima facie view that high courts should hear petitions challenging CAA and in case there is a conflict then we may look into it”.

Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, appearing for the Centre, said there would be a problem as different high courts may take conflicting views and lawyers will move to different states to attend proceedings. The top court said lawyers moving to different states to attend hearings was not its priority…