Medicinal alternative for chikungunya cure: A herbal approach

Abstract

Recently a major outbreak of chikungunya affected several countries of the world. In India only 62,628 and 64,057 clinically suspect chikungunya cases in 2017 and 2016 respectively and about 9,175 suspected chikungunya cases through April 2018. A self-remitting febrile viral illness, chikungunya fever caused/spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The name has been originating from a verb in the Kimakonde language, meaning 'to become contorted' means 'stooped' appearance of joint, signalized by fever and joint pain which can sustain for months or even years in some of the patients. Although many medications are available in the market but the effective treatment against the viral infection is still restricted, due to drug resistance, side effects and toxicity. Focusing the problem, this paper mainly concerns on the cause, transmission of chik virus, and how herbal plants, their active constituents and specific medicinal properties used for relieving symptoms and for cure-providing an alternative way for treating chikungunya.