ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO DEAL WITH LONG COVID ILLNESS: AN AYURVEDIC NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Background: Long COVID, or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), has emerged as a global health issue. Characterised by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive impairment and respiratory distress. Conventional medicine primarily offers symptomatic relief, leaving a therapeutic gap, making the exploration of alternative and integrative systems like Ayurveda a need of the hour. Objective: This narrative review evaluates the Ayurvedic approach to address the long-term effects of COVID-19, termed as Long COVID. Materials and methods: Relevant literature was collected from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar published from 2020 to 2025 to identify Ayurvedic concepts, formulations, and clinical findings related to post-COVID recovery. Review Results: Preliminary clinical reports and case studies suggest that Ayurvedic treatment alleviates chronic fatigue, breathlessness, and neurocognitive symptoms, improving quality of life and functional capacity. Ayurvedic herbs and formulations such as Brahma Rasayan, Chyawanprash, Agastya Haritaki aveleh and Kushmandaka Rasayan are recognised for their immunomodulatory properties. Conclusion: While anecdotal evidence and small studies show promise, the current body of research on Ayurveda for Long COVID is limited. This review concludes that more rigorous, large-scale controlled clinical trials are essential to scientifically validate the efficacy of specific Ayurvedic protocols. Such research is crucial to facilitate the safe and effective integration of these practices into a comprehensive, multidisciplinary strategy for Long COVID management.