Ayurvedic management of a refractory skin disease clinically diagnosed as Cutaneous Lichen Planus-A case report

This study reports the successful management of a recurrent, refractory skin disease diagnosed clinically as Cutaneous Lichen Planus (CLP) in a female patient with Ayurvedic treatment. A 42-year-old home maker from Coimbatore presented with blackish-red pigmented skin rashes and white streaks. Though mucous membranes were not affected, she did not respond to homoeopathic and biomedical treatment. The lesions were spread all over the body except for the face, scalp, axillary and genital region. In addition, she complained of dry skin, pain, and itching. The condition was treated as Kapha-Pitta dominant Tridoshaja Kushta based on Ayurvedic clinical assessment. The patient recovered after one year of conservative Ayurvedic intervention. After six years, there was a relapse, and the patient was admitted for a full course of Ayurvedic treatment and recovered within six months. Ayurvedic interventions should be considered an option in refractory skin diseases like Cutaneous Lichen Planus.

Ayurveda research: Emerging trends and mapping to sustainable development goals

Ayurveda is India's prominent traditional medical system. The World Health Organization has stated the need for more evidence and data from conventional medicine methods to inform policymakers, regulatory bodies, healthcare stakeholders, and the public about its safe, effective, and equitable use. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the emerging trends in Ayurveda research, mapping research to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and examining the impact of COVID-19. Using bibliometric methods, the researchers analyzed a total of 11,773 publications between 1993 and 2022 to understand the temporal evolution of publications, open-access publications, patterns of author collaboration, top-performing countries, and co-citation networks. The keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies networks of concentrated studies on Ayurveda research themes relating to the four clusters, Alternative and Traditional Medicine, Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities, Analytical Techniques and Herbal Standardization, and Herbal Medicines and Immunomodulation, reflecting the diverse research areas within Ayurveda. The last cluster included research related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, suggesting research on herbal approaches to immune modulation in the context of COVID-19. The most prominent SDG among these research themes was Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), emphasizing the potential of natural products and traditional medicine in promoting holistic health and combating antibiotic resistance.

Ayurvedic management of persistent hypoxia in a diabetic and hypertensive COVID-19 patient in the post-hospitalization period - A Case Report

COVID-19 patients may require supplemental oxygen therapy at home after recovery from COVID-19. We report benefits of add on Ayurvedic intervention in a 75-year-old gentleman who was oxygen dependent post hospitalisation. He was earlier treated for COVID-19 related bilateral pneumonitis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Acute Renal Failure. Patient reported breathing difficulty, generalized weakness, reduced appetite and severe constipation. The Pulse Oximetry readings with oxygen support fluctuated between 80 and 85 %, Blood Pressure was 150/100 mm Hg, LDH raised at 463 IU/L and HbA1c at 8.7%. The patient was administered micro-doses of Rasasindura sublingually every 10 min for one day followed by administration of Indukānta Ghṛita and Suvarṇamālinīvasanta Rasa. The oxygen saturation improved to 95 % in 12 hrs of initiating treatment, oxygen support was weaned off on the third day of starting the Ayurvedic treatment, three weeks earlier than prescribed at the time of discharge. The patient is ambulant and maintaining oxygen saturation between 95 and 98 %. This case report highlights the potential of Ayurvedic intervention to manage patients with persistent hypoxia in post hospitalization phase. Well-designed studies are warranted to confirm the benefits of integrating such interventions with standard of care in COVID-19.