Effectiveness of Lakshadi Guggulu, Shatawari Churna & Abhyanga with Lakshadi tail on Menopausal Syndrome - R.C.T.

Abstract

With the improvement of health facilities, the elderly population is increasing. Consequently, the number of women experiencing menopausal syndrome is also increasing. Early menopause significantly contributes to this group. Symptoms of menopause may vary from somato-vegetative, psychological to uro-genital. But we do not have a specific protocol to efficiently manage all these symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an option, but the outcomes are not satisfactory. According to a community-based cross-sectional study in 400 middle-aged women (40–60 years) in Haryana, India, in the year 2020, the prevalence of menopausal symptoms was found to be 87.7%. The majority of the study subjects experienced anxiety (80%), followed by physical and mental exhaustion (71.5%), sleep problems (61.2%), irritability (60.7%), joint and muscular discomfort (56%), and heart problems (54%). The most classical symptom of menopause, i.e., hot flushes, was reported in 36.7% of the participants. The quality of life was impaired in 70.2% of the study subjects. The psychological symptoms are attributed to 70.8% of the poor quality of life. As per the need of the hour, this study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of the Indian system of medicine in managing menopausal syndrome. In this study, the Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS) was used as an assessment tool. The study was conducted on 100 patients aged 40 to 65 attending the Ayurveda Institute OPD. The clinical comparative study was carried out with Lakshadi Guggulu, Shatavari Churna, and Lakshadi Tail for 2 months. After the study, it can be concluded that in women with mild to moderate symptoms of menopausal syndrome, a combined treatment (Lakshadi Guggulu + Shatavari Churna + Lakshadi Tail) yields better results in both somatic and psychological complaints compared to individual interventions.