IMPHAL, Aug 2 - A scientist from Manipur has formulated immunity booster ginger tea and non-alcoholic beer under the brand name 3Gingers to provide protection against COVID-19 and to give relief to patients infected with the virus.
3Gingers was prepared by blending three species of zingiber (ginger), which have been traditionally used for treatment of cold, cough, flu and many other ailments.
Managing director and chief scientist of Imphal-based Kwaklei and Khonggunmelei Orchids Pvt Ltd Dr Rajkumar Kishor said that with no effective therapeutic drugs or vaccine available at the moment to treat this dreaded viral disease, mankind has to resort to herbal medicines which are time tested through civilizations and act as immunity boosters as well as concoctions for respiratory infections like cold, cough, and flu.
�Therapeutic use of the blend of the three gingers for treatment of COVID-19 can only be verified after a systematic scientific investigation along with proper clinical trials,� Dr Kishor said.
Dr Kishor who conceptualised the drinks solely for prevention of cancer because of their inherent anti-cancer properties while he was undergoing treatment for AML � a type of blood cancer in Mumbai, was inspired by the research work on gingers at the laboratory of Prof GJ Sharma of the Department of Life Sciences of Manipur University.
Stating that all the three gingers, including the common ginger (Zingiber officinale), have been investigated scientifically for their rich antioxidant properties and it contains many beneficial bioactive molecules such as phenolic compounds, polyphenols, flavanoids, etc., he said, �A teabag of 3Gingers tea may be brewed in boiled water for five or more minutes and serve the infusion. Anybody having flu can have two servings a day while a healthy individual can have one cup a day.�
In 2018, Dr Kishor successfully produced �hottest hybrid chilli� derived from capsicum frutescens cultivar, capsicum chinense cv, and the hybrid of the two. Bhut Jolokia, which is known as U-morok in Manipur, is currently India�s hottest chilli, after being certified by the Guinness World Records as the hottest chilli in the world in 2007.
The average pungency of hybrid chilli is 287,400 heat unit (SHU) on the Scoville scale with 1.80 percent capsaicin (spicy chemical compound in the chillies) content.
