1. health and fitness
2. disease

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ANVESHANA
Research Article
AYURVEDA MEDICAL JOURNAL
ISSN: 2395-4159
CLINICAL STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF RASAYANA
AND NASYA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF KHALITYA (HAIR FALLING)
Pawar Deepak K1, Kundal Pankaj2
1
PhD Scholar of Shalakya Tantra, IPGT&RA, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
Lecturer of Shalakya Tantra, National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Corresponding Author: drdeep29@gmail.com
2
ABSTRACT
In present era early hair fall has been attributed to be the result of various factors like
improper dinacharya and ritucharya, hormonal imbalance, faulty hair care, pollution, stress etc.,
which may occur to a healthy person also. As said in Ayurveda, ‘Khalitya’ (hairs fall) is a sign of
ageing process and Rasayana therapy is paramount for ageing disorder, so Rasayana treatment
is included for the management of Khalitya. Further with Rasayana, Nasya is one of the
therapies prescribed in Ayurveda for ‘Khalitya’. So by considering the importance of Rasayana
and mode of action of Nasya, present study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of Rasayana
and Nasya in the management of Khalitya (hairs fall). Total 22 patients were registered for the
current clinical trial. Results were impressive. Rasayana and Nasya alleviate in terminating the
samprapti of khalitya and resulting in the alleviation of vitiated Doshas by which cessation of
hair fall was achieved.
Key words: Hair, hairs fall, khalitya, nasya, rasayana.
INTRODUCTION
In ayurvedic approach, increased
falling of hair is termed as „Khalitya’.
Acharya Charaka describes that Tejas
combining with aniladi doshas reaches the
shira kapala and causes hair fall by dahana of
roma koopa (hair follicles). This is named as
Khalitya. Chakrapani while commenting on
this state the word Tejas here denotes Deha
Ushma as well as Pitta Dosha.1 Acharya
Sushruta describes that Vrudda Pitta along
with Vata reaches Romakoopa and causes hair
fall, where Shleshma along with Shonita
causes avaroda (obstruction) to the channel
of Romakoopa which leads to the stoppage of
regeneration of the hair and this condition is
known as Indralupta, Khalitya or Ruhya.2
Acharya Vagbhatta while defining Khalitya
opines that the Khalitya is a disorder where
hair fall occurs gradually whereas in
indralupta the hair fall occurs comparatively
faster than in Khalitya.3
Causes of Khalitya: Acharya Charak4 and
Vagbhata5 described the nidana of disease
Khalitya under the heading of Shirogat Rog
nidana. Charaka opines Khalitya as a lavana
atisevana janya vikara i.e. excessive intake of
salt in diet causes hairs fall.6
Rupa/Symptoms: There are no definite
lakshanas mentioned as regards to the disease
Khalitya in the classical treatises. Madhava
opines that the swabhava of Khalitya is
aniyata i.e. referring to the unpredictability
of the onset, duration and progression of the
disease.7 Still while dealing with disease
Deepak and Pankaj: Efficacy of Rasayana and Nasya in Khalitya
Khalitya one can notice the lakshana of
Khalitya as increased number of hair fall
which will be moderate in the purva rupa.
Thus the cardinal symptom of Khalitya is
gradual loss of hair.
Samprapti/Pathogenesis: The samprapti of
Khalitya explained by most of the authors are
very much identical. Charaka stated
regarding the samprapthi of the disease
Khalitya that it occurs when tejas or vrudda
pitta along with vrudda vatadi dosha’s move to
the kesha bhumi (hair root) and burns out the
hair follicle. This condition is termed as
Khalitya.8
Whereas acharya sushruta opines
regarding samprapti of Khalitya that the roma
kupa gata/keshamulagata vitiated pitta along
with vitiated vata leads to dislodgement or
withering of the hair from the hair roots.
Further in the samprapti, vitiated sleshma
along with rakta will cover the hair root area
and creates avaroda to the hair root, which
results in no further hair growth from that
place.9 The author of ashtanga hrudaya
describes the samprapti of Khalitya in similar
words as acharya sushruta. In edition he
opines that Khalitya occurs in a gradual
pattern of hair loss whereas indralupta occurs
in faster fassion.10
Madhava
opines
that,
the
romakupagata bhrajaka pitta along with vata
leads to hair fall and later the kapha along
with rakta leads to obstruction of hair roots,
thereby there will be no further production
of hair. He regards the disease to be due to
all the four doshas and the swabhava (the
nature/progression) of the disease is aniyata
(unpredictable).11 According to this theory,
the indulgence of Vata, Pitta and Kapha i.e.
all three doshas has been held responsible for
the production of Khalitya.
According to Ashtanga Samgrahakara,
there are four types of Khalitya i.e. Vataja,
Pittaja, Kaphaja and Sannipataja. Acharya
Harita adds one more type Raktaja Khalitya.
AAMJ / Vol. 1 / Issue 2 / Mar – Apr 2015
Amongst four types of Khalitya, Sannipataja
type is considered as Asadhya and it is
advised that such patient should be
discarded. This view is hold on by both
Ashtanga Samgraha and Hridaya.
Sequence of samprapti vighatana in Khalitya:
The samprapti vighatana of any disease can be
adopted in the following steps
Nidana parivarjana Shodhana
Shamana
Nidana parivarjana in Khalitya
includes avoidance of all the karanas
mentioned under nidanas for shiro roga in
particular. Acharya Charaka says that after
adequate Samshodhana, patient of Khalitya
should be subjected to Nasya, Abhyanga with
oil and Shirolepa.
So in Ayurveda; nasya, shiroabhyanga,
shirolepa and rasayana therapy described for
the management of khalitya. Madhukadi tail
nasya (Chakradatta 54/105) was selected for
the present study as it is said best for the
Urdhvajatrugat Rog. As said early ‘Khalitya’ is
a sign of ageing process, hence,
shwadanshtradi rasayana
described
in
Ashtanga hridya (Rasayanavidhi Adhyaya39/159 Uttarasthanam) was administered.
METHODOLOGY
Clinical Study: Total 22 patients were
registered for the current clinical trial.
Among these 20 patients completed the
study and 2 patients were discontinued due
to long distance from home. The selection of
patients was done from O.P.D. / I.P.D.
wing of P.G. Dept. of Shalakya Tantra,
N.I.A., Arogya Shala, Jaipur.
Inclusion criteria: Both male and female
patient of age group between 15-40 yrs were
registered.
Exclusion criteria:
i. Patients whose age is less than 15 and
above 40 years.
ii. Patient with symptoms of asadhya khalitya.
iii. Patient suffering from any severe
systematic disease.
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Deepak and Pankaj: Efficacy of Rasayana and Nasya in Khalitya
iv. Any prolonged debilitation associated hair
fall.
v. Necessary step were taken to exclude other
condition as per facilities available in the
institute.
Drug dosage and duration:
Shwadanshtradi Rasayan: 4-6 g 2 times in a
day for 2 Months after 3-5 days course of
Deepana- Pachana Medicine.
Madhukadi Tail Nasya: 8-8 drops in each
nostril for 2 Months.
Clinical assessment:
A. Subjective Parameters: Cessation of hair
fall was counted as main feature to assess the
effect of therapy.
B. Objective Parameters
All the investigations were conducted before
treatment to rule out any systemic diseases.
1. Routine hematological investigations will
be carried out to assess the present status of
patients as well as exclude any pathological
conditions.
2. Routine and microscopic examination of
Urine.
Criteria for assessment
Reduction of hair fall within the normal
range was counted as a main feature to
assess the effect.
OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
Graph 1: Distribution of patients based on Ahara Guna Nidan
Snigdha,guru
Ruksha,ushna
Laghu,snigdha
Laghu,ruksha
Guru
Laghu
40%
5%
25%
5%
10%
15%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Graph 2: Distribution of patients based on Ahara rasa
Amla,lavana,katu
Madhura,amla,katu
Amla,katu
Madhura,katu
Madhura,amla
Katu
Amla
Madhura
5%
10%
20%
10%
15%
15%
10%
15%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Table 1: Overall result of the treatment
No. of
Patients
20
Mean
B.T.
1.750
A.T.
1.200
Difference
% Relief
SD
SE
w
p
0.5500
31.43
0.5104
0.1141
66.000
0.001
The result obtained through Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test, indicates that 31.43%
relief which was highly significant effect on reduction of Hair fall.
is a sign of early aging process and Rasayana
DISCUSSION
is best for reversing aging process means
Inappropriate
nutrition
or
anti-ageing therapy. So to check the antiexasperating factors leads to alleviation of
aging properties or as antioxidant, rasayana
function of hair root. As premature hairs fall
therapy was added for reversing excessive
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Deepak and Pankaj: Efficacy of Rasayana and Nasya in Khalitya
catabolic process occur at the hair roots.
Shwadanshtradi
rasayana
combination
prepared from the drugs Gokshur, Guduchi,
Amalaki, as all drugs are rasayana properties
was chosen for oral administration. DeepanaPachana Medicine was given to patients in
the present study before starting Rasayana
therapy for Agni-deepana. By Pachana
property, Shwadanshtradi rasayana digests
food materials properly and absorbs Ahara
rasa (precise elements from digestive food)
by its absorbent property ultimately rasadi
dhatu poshana takes place subsequently
leading nutrition of hair roots.
Madhukadi taila contents Yashtimadhu
& Amalaki drugs which possess Pitta-Rakta
Shamaka and rasayana properties. Madhukadi
taila administered through nasya by its
doshagna property, pacify the doshas which
cause the khalitya. Madhukadi taila nasya also
clears the obstruction of the hair roots by its
sookshma srotogaami property leading to the
roma koopa vishodhana. When the obstructed
srotas gets cleared, the ahara rasa nourishes
the roots of the hair which take place in the
cessation of hairs fall.
All the drugs of both yogas possesses
Keshya, Rasayana and Balya properties,
results in proper function of hair roots i.e.
mechanical strengthen of hairs in addition
with proper growth of the hair.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that those who
take amla and katu rasa are more susceptible
for the disease. It can also be concluded that
consumption of snigdha and guru ahara also
play a role in causation of disease khalitya.
From the data obtained it can be concluded
that Pittaja prakruti makes the individuals
more susceptible to khalitya. The series of
the trials showed that there is highly
significant reduction in the hair fall among
the patients when data before treatment is
compared with the data after treatment
AAMJ / Vol. 1 / Issue 2 / Mar – Apr 2015
(p<0.001). It can be inferred from this data
that shwadanshtradi rasayana and madhukadi
taila nasya has a pronounced effect on
reduction of Hair fall. Thus, shwadanshtradi
rasayana and madhukadi taila nasya aid in
reversing the samprapti of khalitya and
resulting in the alleviation of vitiated Doshas
by which cessation of the hairs fall is
achieved.
REFERENCES
1. Charaka Chikitstasthana 26/132, P 606,
Charaka Samhita of Agnivesha elaborated
by Charaka and Dridhabala with “AyurvedDeepika” commentary by Chakrapanidutta,
Edi.
By
Vd.
Acharya,
Varanasi:Chaukambha
surbharati
prakashan; Varanasi, Re-edition 2009.
2. Sushruta Samhita Nidana Sthana
13/33,34., P 322, Sushruta Samhita of
Sushruta with the Nibandha sangraha
Commentaryof Sri Dalhanacharya and the
Nyayachandrika
Panjika
of
Sri
Gayadasacharya on Nidanasthana. Edited by
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Varanasi:Chaukambha
surbharati
prakashan; 2008.
3. Astanga Hridaya Uttaratantra 23/26.,P
859-860, Ashtanga Hridaya of Vagbhata
with the commentaries: Sarvangasundara of
Arunadattau and AyurvedRasayana of
Hemadri, annotated by Dr. Anna
Moreshwar
Kunthe
and
Krishna
Ramachandra Shatri Navre; edited by Pt.
Hari Sadashiva Shatri Paradakara, Reedition 2010
4. Charaka Sutrasthana 17/8-11, P 99, Ibid
Ref 1.
5. Astanga Hridaya Uttaratantra 23/1-3, P
858, Ibid Ref 3.
6. Charaka Sutrasthana 26/(3)43, P 144, Ibid
Ref 1.
7. Madhava Nidana 55/28,29, P 241,
Madhava Nidana with Madhukosha
63
Deepak and Pankaj: Efficacy of Rasayana and Nasya in Khalitya
Commentary of Sri Vijayarakshita and Sri
Kanthadatta
with
Vidyotini
Hindi
Commentary and Notes by Sri Sudarshana
Shatri Part II Edition : Reprint 2009 P 337.
8. Charaka Chikitstasthana 26/132, P 606,
Ibid Ref 1.
9. Sushruta Samhita Nidana Sthana 13/33,
34., P 322, Ibid Ref 2.
10. Astanga Hridaya Uttaratantra 23/26., P
859-860, Ibid Ref 3.
11. Madhava Nidana 55/28, 29, P 241, Ibid Ref
7.
How to cite this article: Deepak Pawar, Pankaj Kundal: Clinical
Study to evaluate the efficacy of Rasayana and Nasya in the
Management of Khalitya, AAMJ 2015; 1 (2): 60-4
Source of Support: Nil. Conflict of Interest: None declared
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