Antipyretic effect of a polyherbal ayurvedic formulation: A randomized controlled clinical study

Abstract

The ancient ayurvedic text Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya of Vāgbhaṭa (7th Century A.D.) prescribes a specific formulation of four plants having antipyretic properties with minimal side-effects. This polyherbal ayurvedic formulation contains whole plant of Solanum surratense, rhizomes of Zingiber officinale, stem of Tinospora cordifolia and fruits with bracts of Piper longum, exhibited significant antipyretic-analgesic properties during rodent experiments without any toxicity may be due to flavonoidic phenolic compounds in it. Present randomized controlled clinical study in sixty eight patients was conducted with this polyherbal ayurvedic formulation using aspirin as standard drug for comparison. The primary outcome measured was reduction in body temperature, while the secondary outcomes measured were assessment of associated symptoms of fever and routine haematological parameters. A representative sample of patients was also studied for reduction in the level of prostaglandin (PGE2). The clinical study showed that fever was rapidly and substantially reduced after oral administration of the test drug and this antipyretic effect was significant (p<0.01) when compared to placebo and more sustained in comparison to aspirin. Many associated symptoms of fever also exhibited significant reductions with this test drug. Prostaglandin levels also registered a substantial decrease during treatment with this polyherbal ayurvedic formulation.