ABSTRACT
Cellulitis and Psoriasis are common bacterial skin infections. Psoriasis affects 1-3 percent of the world's population. According to Ayurveda, it is a curable disease, and leech therapy, a bloodletting method is considered the effective method in the treatment of psoriasis and cellulitis with no side effects. To evaluate the efficacy of leech therapy, Ayurvedic medicine, and lifestyle modification in the management of psoriasis complicated by recurrent cellulitis and other co-morbidities. This is a case report of a known diabetic and obese 39-year-old female patient. An Ayurvedic management plan and dietary modifications with leech application were administered to the patient. Leech application was done in five sessions with regular follow-ups. Leech therapy showed outstanding results in producing symptomatic relief for patients. It has helped the patient in reducing the condition of Psoriasis and Cellulitis with no common steroid therapy complications like weight gain and hyperglycemia. In this study, leech therapy showed excellent results in producing symptomatic relief for the patient. Leech therapy has a considerable anti-psoriatic and anticellulite impact without causing any toxicity or side effects.
ABSTRACT
Ayurveda is a science that focuses on both well-being and disease treatment. Many surgical and para-surgical procedures have been described by Acharya Sushruta for the management of various diseases; among these, Raktamokshana is popularly used for the management of various pathologies occurring due to Rakta Dushti (blood-borne disorders). It is derived from two words i.e., ‘Rakta’ which means blood & ‘Mokshana’ which means leave. Hence, Raktamokshana means to let the vitiated blood out. It is one of the five purification therapies by Acharya Sushruta. There are two ways to do Raktamokshana i.e., Shastra Visravana (using sharp instruments) and Anushastra Visravana (without using sharp instruments). Furthermore, it is said that Siravedha is ‘Chikitsaardha’ i.e., half of the treatment described in Shalya Tantra is similar to a well-performed Basti karma (Therapeutic Medicated Enema) advocated in Kaya-Chikitsa. However, there are relatively limited recommendations or use of Raktamokshana in clinical practices nowadays which may be due to fear associated with the procedure, lack of skillfulness, and unawareness about the efficacy of Raktamokshana in various diseases. This review article is specifically intended to assemble the usefulness of numerous modes of Raktamokshana based on Ayurvedic parameters with its detailed procedure
ABSTRACT
Herpes zoster commonly known as shingle's caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV). Recent studies have shown that exosomes play important role in pathogenesis as well as spread of herpes. Leeches when applied over affected part of herpes sucks the blood and there by interferes with extracellular communication through these exosomes and their by showing pain reduction, reduction in burning and arrest progression of disease. This technique is cost effective and easy to apply. In Ayurveda herpes can be correlated with Pittaj visarpa. Principle of treatment is Raktmokshan (~Bloodletting) and Pradeha (~Local application of medicines). Bloodletting with Jalauka (~Medicinal Leeches) is specifically indicated in management of Pitta dominant disorder. A 65-year-old female known case of Type 2 Diabetes (DM) and presented in Casualty of Government Ayurved College, Nagpur (GACN). We treated her Herpes zoster on the basic principles of management of Pittaj Visarpa. Management of Type 2 DM was continued as per modern medicine consultant. Rapid decrease in pain severity was observed after the 1st setting of leech therapy according to Zoster Specific Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI) Questionnaire. After each seating pain reduction was observed. Repeated application of Jalauka along with internal medications gave complete relief. Ayurveda pain management in herpes zoster by leech therapy gives innovative easy, better and cost effective treatment. Adaptive trials are necessary to explore further practical applicability of Ayurveda and modern treatment together. Future research on effect of leech application on exosomes is necessary.
ABSTRACT
Among all the diseases of gastrointestinal disordershaemorrhoidis the commonest and troublesome disease. Haemorrhoids are dilated veins within the anal canal. The condition becomes worse after thrombosis and strangulation of the pile mass. Urgent surgical intervention is required in all the cases. Patient strucks in serious woe and seeks urgent surgical attention. Leeches can be used as a successful tool in this situation for the purpose of bloodletting as accumulation of morbid humor is the main cause of haemorrhoid in Unani system of medicine. In present case study,a patient of thrombosed pile mass was cured by Irsale Alaq(leech therapy)
ABSTRACT
Alopecia areata is characterized by circumscribed non-scarring loss of hair in single or multiple patches over the scalp or body hair. Histopathology shows perifollicular and intrafollicular inflammatory cells infiltrate composed mainly of lymphocytes, described as swarm of bees’ appearance. The characteristic lesion is an asymptomatic, smooth bald patch with normal skin within the patch. Fine regular pitting of nails and tachynochia is a common association. When the hair loss involves the entire scalp it is known as alopecia totalis. Khalitya in Ayurveda is a disease in which Pitta combining with Vata and getting into the pores of hairs (hair follicles) cause fall of hair, and then Kapha along with Rakta obstructs the pores of those hairs and makes it impossible for other hair to grow. As it does not destroy the hair follicles the potential for the re-growth is maintained for many years. However growth in alopecia totalis and universalis is limited. Material and Methods: The present clinical study is a case report on the efficacy of Shamana (pacification) medication along with Vamana (therapeutic emesis), Virechana (therapeutic purgation), Basti (therapeutic Enema) and Nasya (therapeutic nasal medication) and Raktamokshan (therapeutic bloodletting) in the management of a patient diagnosed as Alopecia totalis. Results: There was significant re-growth of the hair of the scalp. SALT Score improved from 97.76 to 2. Discussion: The collected data from this study suggests that Ayurvedic Shodhana (Purification) treatment along with Shamana medications can provide an efficient result for managing Alopecia totalis.
ABSTRACT
Ulcerative Keratitis is a sight-threatening corneal infection. It is one of the most common global causes ofirreversible blindness due to corneal diseases. This case report highlights the potential of Ayurvedicmanagement in nonresponding ulcerative keratitis. A 20 year old boy came to the outpatient departmentwith redness, discharge, photophobia and defective vision in the right eye since 4 months following aforeign body injury. He was treated at leading ophthalmic hospital for keratitis but due to poor responsewas suggested keratoplasty and the patient had opted for Ayurvedic treatment. He was initially treated inthe OPD and since he started responding well to treatment, he was admitted in the hospital. He underwent Jaloukavacharana, Snehapana, Virechana, Nasya, Anjana, Tarpana and Putapaka. He wascompletely relieved of pain, redness, discharge, photophobia. His BCVA was hand movements at the timeof the first visit and it improved to 6/24 at the time of discharge. Ayurveda has an important role to playin infective eye diseases which needs to be explored scientifically.© 2018 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Publishing Services byElsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
ABSTRACT
Hair disorders cause negative impact towards the individual and his/her quality of life. Indralupta is a Kshudraroga characterized by loss of hair. It can be correlate with alopecia areata, which is having chief complaint of hair loss on body especially on scalp without any clinical inflammatory signs. Raktamokshana is a technical term employed to denote a para-surgical procedure to expel out the vitiated blood from selected areas of the body, by specific methods. Ayurveda classical text propounds practical guidelines for bloodletting and claims it as most effective therapy in half of the body ailments. Jalaukavacharna Karma (Leech therapy) is considered as the ideal method to expel out the vitiated blood safely, quickly, and effectively. Here a case of Indralupta (alopecia areata) successfully treated with Ayurveda Raktamokshana treatment is recorded.
ABSTRACT
The Siddha system of medicine is an unique traditional system of medicine practiced in Tamil speaking countries particularly India. In Siddha system of medicine the diseases were treated through internal and external medicine. In external medicine, the leech therapy is one which is used to treat various non-surgical and surgical cases. The leeches have been used for therapeutic purposes since their beginning of civilisation. Ancient Indian, Egyptian, Greek and Arab physicians were used the leeches for wide range of diseases such as inflammatory condition, skin diseases, respiratory disorders, eye diseases, cardiac diseases, urinary and reproductive diseases and dental diseases. The leeches are also used as one of the bloodletting methods in Unani, Ayurveda, and Modern science for various clinical conditions. Recently, researches on leech saliva revealed the presence nearly 100 biologically active compounds such as Hirudin, vasodilators, hyaluronidase, anaesthetics, fibrinases, antibacterial, collagenase etc. The above mentioned pharmacological compounds are injected into human body while sucking of the blood and are responsible for the anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and analgesic effect of leech application. In current scenario, the leech therapy is used for various diseases including life threatening diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, etc. in different system of medicine including modern medicine. Leech therapy is used in plastic and microsurgery as a protective tool against vascular congestion in modern medicine. The Scientific studies on leech saliva were proven and support the leech application in Siddha system of medicine.
ABSTRACT
Nevus of Ota is a congenital blue-gray color nevus affl icting unilaterally, the area near the eyes. It poses a huge cosmetic concern besides being a potential threat for developing melanoma sometime in the course of the disease. The treatment options are neither many nor promising besides they are too expensive. We have treated a case of nevus of Ota with leech therapy where leech was applied upon the lesion for fi ve times spanned in a period of 2 months. The results in terms of change in the color of lesion were evaluated with the help of serial photographs following every treatment session to mark the level of color changes in the lesion. A substantial reduction in color of the nevus was reported following the completion of the therapy. The results were demonstrated with the photographs. Although, recommended as the classical Ayurvedic management for skin diseases, leech therapy is not reported earlier in such conditions. It proposes a novel approach to deal with such congenital pigment lesions where other options are not promising.