Clinical study on the efficacy of Karanjadi churna as add-on therapy with Baladi kashaya in Primary dysmenorrhoea

Dysmenorrhoea is defined as painful menstruation of sufficient magnitude so as to incapacitate day-to-day activities. The prevalence of Primary dysmenorrhoea was 80.9%. Most of the females with primary dysmenorrhoea described their menstrual pain as moderate to severe, which affected their daily activities and studying ability significantly. It is of two types: primary dysmenorrhoea and secondary dysmenorrhoea. Primary dysmenorrhoea is one where there is no identifiable pelvic pathology. Here the pain begins a few hours before or just with the onset of menstruation. In secondary, menstrual pain is associated with some pelvic pathologies. Dysmenorrhoea can be compared with Udavartha/Udavarthini/Udavrtta, one among 20 yonirogas mentioned in Ayurveda classics. As per Acharya Charaka, Udavarthini is due to varadhan (suppression of natural urges), which will cause aggravation of vayu which in turn leads to pain because of the tendency of menstrual blood to move in upward direction. Baladi kashaya mentioned in Chakradutta-Sulaprakarana and Karanjadi churna mentioned in Yogaratnakara-Sula chikitsa are selected for the study. Ingredients of Baladi kashaya are having anulomana, sulahara, arthavajanana, balya, rasayana, deepana, bhedaneeya, vatakaphahara. Karanjadi choorna contains Karanja, Sauvarchala, Nagara and Ramata/Hingu. Most of these drugs are having vatakaphahara, vata anulomana, sulaghna and vibandhaghna properties.The study design is Randomized Controlled Trial with sample size of 18 in each group. Female subjects of age group 15-35 years with primary dysmenorrhoea attending OPD of Prasuti tantra and Streeroga, Govt. Ayurveda College Hospital, Tripunithura will be selected for the study as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants are randomly divided into Group A and Group B using the chit method. Group A will be given 2g Karanjadi churna with 48 ml Baladi kashaya twice daily before food and Group B will be given Baladi kashaya alone twice daily before food for 7 days ie, 5 days prior to next menstruation and first 2 days of menstruation for 3 consecutive periods. Assessment for pain and associated symptoms will be done on 0th day, 4th day of 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles and same procedure will be repeated in the follow up period after 1 month. Verbal Descriptive Scale and Visual Analogue Scale will be taken for the assessment of pain, and the associated symptoms will be assessed using Verbal descriptive scale. Results will be statistically analysed afterthe study through appropriate test and conclusion will be drawn.