New Delhi, Aug 8 - Homeopathy can both prevent and cure swine flu, sans any side effects, say doctors who practise this alternative medicine system in India where over 700 people have been diagnosed with the disease.

Amid panic over the spread of influenza A (H1N1) virus, homeopaths are now drafting a proposal for the health ministry to offer their services in tackling the crisis.

'Based on the symptoms, homeopathy can offer an effective cure to swine flu. Moreover, it does not have any side effects,' Harcharanjeet Kaur, a homeopath at Baksons homeopathy clinic, told IANS.

Well-known Delhi-based homeopath Mukesh Batra cited the instance of the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 in which more than 50 million people were killed worldwide. He said the mortality rate of people given allopathic treatment was 28.2 percent, while those given homeopathic treatment was 1.05 percent at that time.

'Gelsemium and Bryonia were the two homeopathic remedies that proved to be effective against the H1N1 strain back then. These could be of great use even today,' Batra said.

Explaining the way homeopathy works, Jaipur-based homeopath Manish Bhatia said this form of medicine works on the basis of symptoms and not the disease.

'In homeopathy, there is a concept called Genus epidemicus. This means if there is an epidemic and you take the symptoms of say 15 ailing people of an area, you will notice a common trend. Based on that you give medication - for the symptoms. This same medication then, if given to people of that area, can act as a preventive medicine,' Bhatia said phone.

Besides symptoms like running nose, fever, sneezing and dullness that are the same for common flu and swine flu patients, those suffering from the latter may also have gastric problems like nausea and vomiting, Bhatia said.

'Based on the symptoms, there may be different curative medications for different cases of swine flu. One or two of these medications will be used more frequently than the others and this can then be given to others as preventive

medication,' Bhatia said.