RESUMEN
Scleroderma, an autoimmune connective tissue disorder, leads to skin and tissue thickening. In this autoimmune disease condition, the defense mechanism works against the body itself and mistakenly attacks normal cells. Ayurveda links it to vatarakta, initially affecting tvak, rakta, and mamsa. Vata is primarily involved, but as the disease progresses, all doshas and dhatu get involved. A 45-year-old woman presented with skin hardening, skin depigmentation all over her body, limb stiffness, weakness, arthralgia, anorexia, constipation and burning in the chest region for the last three years. She was diagnosed with diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc) but as per Ayurveda we can correlate with aamvata and vatarakta based on her lakshanas(symptoms). Ayurvedic treatment commenced with vardhamana pippali(Piper longum)rasayan, svedana karma, and virechan karma, followed by basti(enema) chikitsa (pathyadi kvath niruh basti) and oral ayurvedic medication viz., Manjisthadi kvatha, kaishora guggulu, Jatamansi(Nardostachys Jatamansi) churna, mishreya(Foeniculum vulgare) arka, dashang churna with water for local application and daily shamanarth panchtikta ghrit. After 8 weeks, depigmentation was reduced, new hair growth emerged, mild skin softening occured, chest burning, anorexia, sleeplessness was decreased and enhanced mental well-being. The treatment aimed to balance vitiated doshas and dhatu while alleviating symptoms, and enhancing overall well-being, demonstrating the efficacy of the holistic approach in managing scleroderma through Ayurveda. Auto-immune disorder, scleroderma, chronic complications, skin tightness, salt pepper depigmentation, sclerodactyly.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In routine, Ayurveda practitioners prefer classical pharmaceutical form of herbal medicines in compare to modern extracts. OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference of efficiency between whole drug powder of Phyllanthus niruri plus root decoction of Sida cordifolia and modern extracts of the same in compared to placebo in patients of diabetic poly-neuropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized, partly-double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of two different pharmaceutical forms of herbal medicines over placebo in 90 patients (30 in each group) of diabetic sensory polyneuropathy for first three weeks period. After three weeks, active herbal medication groups were continued with their assigned medicaments for next 5 weeks period and all placebo-patients were randomized again into 2 groups of active medication and treated for next 8 weeks. Patients were assessed with Neuropathy Total Symptom Score 6 and sensation thresholds. RESULTS: Significant effect of both form of herbal medicines over placebo was found in aching pain [F (2, 49) = 6.79, p = 0.002], allodynia [F (2, 59) = 6.74, p = 0.002], burning pain [F (2, 82) = 14.66, p < 0.0001], numbness [F (2, 77) = 16.37, p < 0.0001] and pricking pain [F (2, 50) = 14.23, p < 0.0001]. After the 8 weeks period, no significant difference was identified between the effect of both the herbal treatment on aching pain (U = 220, p = 0.03), allodynia (U = 421.5, p = 0.29), burning pain (U = 881.5, p = 0.846), numbness (U = 778, p = 0.92) and pricking pain (U = 260, p = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Both herbal groups have significant effect to reduce NTSS-6 score in compare to placebo. No significant difference found between the effect of two different pharmaceutical forms of Phyllanthus niruri and S. cordifolia.