Chaotic scenes in Andhra Pradesh, eastern India, as thousands attempted to collect a herbal treatment said to "cure" COVID-19.

Footage from May 20 shows police struggling to hold back the thousands who arrived in Nellore to collect the herbal treatment.

On May 31 the state's government gave the green light for the use of traditional medicine to treat COVID-19 patients.

The herbal medicine is made using turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, pepper and honey.

On May 31, the Andhra Pradesh government gave the green signal for the use of the traditional medicine, touted as a miracle cure for Covid-19 patients.

The medicine prepared by a traditional herbal medicine (Ayurvedic) practitioner Borige Anandaiah in Krishnapatnam village in Nellore had created a stampede. A video from May 20 shows police struggling to push back the thousands of people who had gathered to collect his miracle cure for Covid 19.

The state government ordered an investigation by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS). It said based on CCRAS report it had approved three traditional drugs prepared by Anandaiah.

"Patients should take regular medicines prescribed by the doctors and use the Krishnapatnam Medicine alongside. It is a personal choice," the government said. Media reports said 160 patients were still on oxygen support despite taking the miracle cure.

But the traditional medicine continues to be in great demand as people genuinely believe that the medicine works. The medicine, which is made using natural ingredients like turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, pepper and honey is not known to have any side effects.