ANTIVIRAL POTENTIAL OF DESMODIUM GANGETICUM (L.) DC. EXTRACT: DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIVIRAL PHYTOMEDICINE (GANJHUVIRR) FOR THE TREATMENT OF DENGUE FEVER ASSOCIATED WITH THROMBOCYTOPENIA

Natural products can be the alternative of synthetic medicine and antiviral drugs can be potential from natural products. An attempt was made to evaluate the antiviral activity from the extract of Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. as a phytomedicine (GanjhuVir^R) for the treatment of dengue fever associated with thrombocytopenia. The present study was evaluated acute and subacute toxicity in rat as well as clinical trial in treated and without treated patients who admitted in hospital due to dengue fever associated with thrombocytopenia. The rats were grouped into group 1 (control) and 2, 3 and 4 (treated) for toxicity test while 51 patients were included in the clinical trial and 25 were treated and 26 provided only standard management as control. The parameters viz. platelet count, fever profile, average hospitalization period, clinical profiles and viral load reduction were tested for both the group. All the data related to morbidity, mortality and behavioural features were observed similar between exposed and control group. The haematological and biochemicals findings were comparable between the group. The platelet counts were significantly (P<0.001) increased and body temperature and hospital stay were significantly (P<0.001) decreased in the treated group than control group. Moreover, GanjhuVir^R is a phytomedicine extracted from studied plant and capable to treat viral activity especially for Dengue virus. This is non-toxic as per animal study and is safe without any adverse events and normalize the clinical findings among patients. Future research is suggested to know the efficacy of mild to moderate Covid-19 Patients.