An open label single arm prospective clinical study on Vatagajankusharasa with Pippali Churna and Manjishta Kwatha as Anupana in Gridhrasi (Sciatica)

Background - Low backache is the 2nd most common reason for all physician visits and it is a condition that affects as many as 80-90% of people during their life time.[1] Sciatica is a relatively common condition with a life time incidence varying from 13-40%. Gridhrasi in Ayurveda is a Rujapradhana Nanatmaja Vatavyadhi, which has similar presentation of sciatica intervenes with the functional ability of low back and lower limbs. Vata Gajankusha Rasa is a potent medicinal preparation, which in classics have mentioned can cure severe form of Gridhrasi in a week. The present study is taken up with the hypothesis that Vata Gajankusha Rasa with Manjishta Kwatha and Pippali Churna as Anupana would be effective in the management of Gridhrasi. Objective - To evaluate the effectiveness of Vatagajankusha Rasa with Pippali Churna and Manjishta Kwatha as Anupana in the management of Gridhrasi (sciatica). Method - Among 40 registered patients 36 of them completed the course of treatment. They were administered with Vatagajankusha Rasa (125mg) twice daily with Pippali Churna (3grams) and Manjishta Kwatha (15ml) as Anupana before food for a period of 7 days. For stastistical analysis subjective and objective parameters were assessed by Wilcoxon signed rank and McNemar test. Result - In the parameters of Gridhrasi, the medicine was found to be statistically significant in relieving the assessment parameters like Ruk, Toda, Sthambha, Aruchi, Gourava (p<0.001). In Objective parameters like SLR and Lessagues test, significant relief was observed after statistical analysis. Conclusion - Vatagajankusha Rasa with Pippali Churna and Manjishta Kwatha as Anupana is effective in the management of symptoms of Gridhrasi

Ayurveda management of Adharanga Vata (Cervical Myelomalacia) – A Case Report

Myelomalacia is a radiological finding in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), shown as the hypo or hyper-densities in the spinal segments of the affected area. It is associated with focal cord atrophy and is resultant of spinal cord injuries like cord compression in most of the cases. Other causes include ischemic changes, syrinx formation, and cervical spondylosis myelopathy. In Ayurveda it is co-related to the Adharangavata (~weakness in the lower limbs). A 69year old patient was admitted in the apex hospital located in the western ghats in Karnataka with reduced strength in the both the legs and was unable to walk without support. The patient was treated with Shamanaushadhi (~Palliative medicines) & Basti (medicated enema). The results obtained were promising and encouraging. The patient achieved strength in both the legs and he was able to walk without support for more than 300mts. This approach has shown that cervical myelomalacia can be managed with Ayurveda and helps in avoiding the disease progression and surgical management

Comparative study of expansive and non-expansive soils stabilized with lime and Rice Husk Ash (RHA)

by Kaling Taki and P. Bhattachary

Improvement in engineering properties of expansive soils using ground granulated blast furnace slag

Improvement in engineering properties of expansive soils by mixing ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) is the main focus of this research. For this purpose two expansive soil samples were collected from DG Khan and Sialkot areas (Pakistan). Classification tests revealed that DG Khan sample belonged to fat clay (CH) while Sialkot soil was lean clay (CL) as classified by Unified Soil Classification System. GGBFS has been added in varying proportions between 0 and 55% in these soil samples to study its role in stabilizing these expansive soils. Based on the laboratory test performed on composite soil samples, it was observed that maximum dry unit weight increased up to 10 % by adding 50% GGBFS in both samples. California bearing ratio (CBR) value showed an increase from 3.2 % to 11.5% for DG Khan soil while CBR values varied from 2.4% to 10.7% for Sialkot soil by mixing 50% GGBFS. Addition of 30 % GGBFS to DG Khan soil reduced swell potential from 8 % to 2 % while in Sialkot soil, 20 % addition of GGBFS reduced swell potential from 5 % to 2 %. Unconfined compressive strength of remoulded sample cured for 28 days increased by about 35% with the addition of 30%GGBFS. The results indicated that mixing of GGBFS in the expansive soil samples have a marked increase in their engineering properties. Also, it is an affective and environmental friendly means to dispose waste of steel industry