A randomized open labelled comparative clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of bhadrotkatadya avaleha and panchakola churna in the management of sutika sula

Sutika sula, particularly postpartum back pain (prstha Kati Sula), is a common condition in the puerperal period caused by Vata aggravation and tissue depletion, which affects mobility, sleep, and breastfeeding comfort, while modern management focuses mainly on analgesics and antibiotics, it does not address digestive weakness or systemic nourishment, creating a clinical evidence gap in Ayurveda regarding formulation based comparative pain management in lactating mothers, so this randomized open label parallel arm study will evaluate 40 postpartum women delivered vaginally within 7 days, comparing Bhadrotkatadya Avaleha (12 g BID with warm milk) and Panchakola Churna (6 g BID with warm water) for 60 days, using standardized pain assessment through VAS and a modified symptom score based on the Brief Pain Inventory framework, along with evaluation of associated symptoms like abdominal distension, constipation, appetite, formulation compliance, palatability, and safety monitoring for both mother and infant, with anticipated outcomes of significant pain reduction and better postpartum recovery, contributing to evidence based Ayurvedic postpartum care protocols.