The COVID-19 outbreak changed the scenario in medical fraternity by challenging in many ways. The viral pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2 became fatal in comorbidities like uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary diseases, and immunocompromised status of the patient. The factors like use of corticosteroids in uncontrolled diabetes patients with COVID-19, use of immunomodulators like Tocilizumab, Itolizumab, mechanical ventilation and a long-standing oxygen therapy are responsible for secondary opportunistic fungal infections like mucormycosis. The fulminant opportunistic fungal mucormycosis has a high mortality rate even with treatment. The mucormycosis manifested in many ways as rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, cutaneous, etc. The rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis has a high incidence rate among all type and is fatal leading to death due to invasion in cerebral area. The treatment options are very limited like surgical debridement of the mucor and use of intravenous Liposomal Amphotericin B, Posaconazole which raise financial burden on already COVID affected patient. There is an urgency to find out possible solution from Ayurveda. Ayurveda classics explained about the principles of Shuddha Chikitsa (~non adulterated therapy) through which patient will not develop an iatrogenic disease. The mucormycosis is a Vyadhisankar (~ cluster of two or more diseases) of COVID-19 (~Sannipatik Jwar) and Visha. Various other aspects like Agantuja Vyadhi (~exogenous disease), Visarpa (~herpes) and Nidanarthakar Vyadhi (~ a disease itself become causative factor for other diseases) can also be considered while treating mucormycosis as per Ayurveda. The treatment principles of mucormycosis can be divided into preventive and curative measures with Ayurveda medicines. Due to the complexity of disease various aspect of the disease are discussed with possible treatment protocol for mucormycosis as a post COVID complication.
Key words: COVID-19, Mucormycosis, Shuddha Chikitsa, Visha, corticosteroids, Vyadhisankar
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