An open-label randomized comparative clinical study of different Panchakarma therapies in female infertility

Abstract

Introduction: Comparative role of different Ayurveda therapies in the treatment of female infertility. Methods: It was an open-label, comparative, randomized trial. Thirty female patients were equally divided into two groups as Group A, treated with Virechana karma (Purgation therapy) followed by yoga basti (Ayurveda enema therapy) regimen and Group B treated with Yoga basti followed by Uttarabasti (Ayurveda intrauterine therapy) regimen. In Group A, Virechana was done with Tilvakaghrita followed by Erandmooladi yoga basti and in Group B Erandmooladi yoga basti was administered followed by Uttarabasti with Bala taila. The variables used for assessments were conception, grading in menstruation parameters, spinnbarkeit (SB) test, fern test, follicular study, and endometrial thickness. For intragroup comparison, “Wilcoxon matched-paird signed-ranks test” and “paired t-test” were used. For intergroup comparison, “Mann–Whitney test” and “unpaired-t-test” were used. All the statistical tests were interpreted as significant at 5% level (P < 0.05). Results: The median age of these participants was 28 years (range, 20–36). In Group A, there were statistically significant improvements in the follicular study, SB test, menstrual parameters, and dyspareunia after the trial. In Group B, there were statistically significant improvements in endometrial thickness, Fern test, SB test, amount of menstruation, duration of menstruation, and dysmenorrhea. On comparison, there was a statistically insignificant difference between these two groups in the outcome. Conclusion: Ayurveda purgation-enema therapies and Ayurveda enema-intrauterine therapies are equally effective in the management of female infertility.

Keywords

• erandmooladi yoga basti
• female infertility
• uttarabasti
• vandhyatva
• virechana karma