Ayurvedic Approaches in Post-Viral Syndromes

Abstract

Post-viral syndromes cover a heterogeneous but clinically recognisable set of conditions: persistent fatigue and post-exertional malaise following acute viral infection, cognitive dysfunction often described as brain fog, musculoskeletal pain and arthralgia persisting beyond the acute phase, autonomic dysregulation, and composite functional limitation that interferes with daily living. The post-COVID population has dramatically increased clinical awareness of these syndromes, but the underlying clinical picture is not new: post-dengue fatigue, post-chikungunya arthralgia, post-mononucleosis fatigue and post-influenza malaise have been recognised for decades. Conventional medicine offers mostly symptom-targeted supportive care rather than disease-modifying intervention, and this is a space where integrative approaches with restorative rather than pharmacological emphasis have a plausible contribution. Ayurvedic medicine has engaged with post-viral recovery under the classical categories of Dhatu Kshaya (tissue depletion), Ojo Vyapad (vitality compromise), and Agni Mandya (digestive fire weakness). This study reviews 52 primary clinical and observational studies published between 2012 and 2021 evaluating Ayurvedic approaches in post-viral syndromes, grouped under five approach frames (V1 rasayana-centric recovery, V2 immunomodulatory herbs, V3 symptom-specific protocols, V4 integrated Panchakarma + herbal, V5 integrated conventional + Ayurvedic). Each frame was scored with the Ayurvedic Post-Viral Intervention Index (APVI). Integrated conventional + Ayurvedic multimodal protocols (V5) scored highest at APVI 0.832, with rasayana-centric protocols (V1) at 0.810 and symptom-specific protocols (V3) at 0.788.