A comparative clinical study on the efcacy of oral Sarasvata Ghrita and Sarasvata Ghrita Nasya in the management of Vataja Shirah Shoola (tension headache)

Abstract

Acharya Charaka considered Shiro-ruk as a separate disease in eighty types of Nanatmaja Vata- Vyadhi. He has mentioned ve types of Shiroroga (05) including Vataja Shiroroga. Considering the line of treatment, Caraka recommended specic ghee preparations for Vatika Shiroroga. Vataja Shirah Shoola (VSS) can be correlated with tension headache which is the most common type of headache. The prevalence of tension headache is about 3% of the general population. The present study is a comparative clinical study on the efcacy of oral Sarasvata Grita (SG) and Sarasvata Ghrita Nasya (SGN) on Vataja Shirah Shoola. Thirty patients (30) were selected from the OPD of Ayurveda Hospital, Meegoda and were randomly divided into two groups: group A and group B. Group A was treated with oral SG, 10 ml orally twice a day before meals for a period of thirty (30) days while group B was treated with SGN at the dose of 8 drops daily at 9.00 am after a light meal for same duration. Patients were evaluated before and after treatment. Data were analyzed by using SPSS statistical software. The result revealed that the 36 – 45 age group (76.7%), female (56.7%) and Vata-pitta prakriti (56%) are more vulnerable to VSS. Oral SG improved subjective parameters and blood pressure in a highly signicant manner (p>0.001) whereas Oral SG improved bi-temporal headache and disturbed sleep in a signicant manner (p<0.05). Collectively, the ingredients of SG have tridosha shamaka effect, especially Vata shamaka effect. Due to synergistic effect of SG, most of the parameters have shown signicant improvement. SGN improved subjective parameter in signicant manner (p<0.05) whereas the improvement of blood pressure is highly signicant (p<0.001). When comparing the effect of two treatments on VSS, it is reported that the difference of mean of most of the subjective parameters between group A and B is highly signicant (p<0.001). Hence, it is concluded that oral Sarasvata Ghrita has higher degree of efcacy on Vataja Shirahshoola over Sarasvata Ghrita Nasya.