POTENTIATING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IN CHILDREN:

bringing up a better future through Ayurveda

Abhimanyu Kumar MD(Ay), MSc(Psy),PhD

ak_ayu@yahoo.co.in

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HUMAN BEINGS HAVE CROSSED THIS BOUNDARY OF NATURE

BY ADOPTING UN-NATURAL WAYS

The Real World

COLD

FLU

CHICKEN POX

STOMACH UPSET

HELP ME !

HELP !

HELP ME!

The Perfect World The Real World

COLD

FLU

CHICKEN POX

STOMACH UPSET

HELP ME !

HELP !

HELP

ME!

AYURVEDA WAY OF LIFE TELLS US TO UNDERSTAND AND MAINTAIN OUR LIMITS FOR SUSTAINING HARMONY

WITH

NATURE

• The childhood period is the foundation of the life and it is here only the seeds for healthy life should be laid down.

• Proper nutrition, absence of any of the psychosomatic disease and a healthy psychological development are the main domains on which the growth and development of a child is based upon.

Major causes of childhood morbidity & mortality

• Acute respiratory infections (ARI)

• Diarrhea (dehydration)

• Anemia

• Malnutrition

• Poor growth and development (physical & mental)

Acute Lower Respiratory Tract infection (Pneumonia)

• Acute Lower Respiratory Tract infection (Pneumonia) is a leading cause of mortality in children below 5 years of age.

Poor immunity

IMMUNITY IN AYURVEDA

• Vyadhikshamatva (immunity) is interpreted as-

– Vyadhibala virodhitva (antagonistic to strength and virulence of disease) and

– Vyadhi utpada pratibandhakatva (the capacity to inhibit or neutralize or resist or overcome disease causing agents).

This vyadhikshmatva depends on the presence of bala or oja in the body. Oja represents vitality, vigor and capacity to resist decay and disease.

PRAKRITI & IMMUNITY STATUS

Status of Bala (strength/immunity) in different Prakriti

PRAKRITI BALA(STRENGTH/IMMUNITY)

VATA MINIMUM

PITTA MODERATE

KAPHA SUPERIOR

VATA AND PITTA INFERIOR

VATA AND KAPHA MODERATE

PITTA AND KAPHA SUPERIOR

CLINICAL STUDY OF IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECT OF AN

AYURVEDIC COMPOUND (VAYASTHADI YOGA) IN CHILDREN

Aims and objectives• The main objective of the research to evaluate the immunomodulatory

effect of ayurvedic compound Vayasthadi yoga in children.

Plan of study-

Selection of case• Source – children for the study were screened out from the OPD and IPD

of Kaumarbhritya department of NIA Jaipur• Age group • Children between 06 months to 08 years were selected for the study• Number of case• Total 61 cases were screened out of which 16 number of cases were

discontinued (Final study cases 55).

Grouping of patients• Screened patients were randomly divided into two groups• GROUP A- this group were given the trial drug Vayasthadi yoga (V1)• GROUP B-this group of children were given the placebo.

Inclusion criteria• Age 06 months to 08 years• Cardinal features of immunodeficiency• History of at least three episodes in last two months

Exclusion criteria• Acute and severe infection• Severe malnutrition• Tuberculosis• Infections associated with congenital heart diseases• Specific nasal pathology – deviated nasal septum etc• Malignancies

Discontinuation criteria• Appearance of any major illness during the study period

Side-effect evaluation criteria• To rule out possible side effects t he study drug, clinical criteria

was adopted. It included the documentation of information from the patient on every follow-up, related to features as tachycardia, tremor, headache, sedation, drowsiness, oral thrush etc.

Clinical assessment • Assessment of clinical symptoms, running nose,

sore throat, nasal obstruction, enlarged tonsils, cough, dyspnea, fever and diarrhea depending on the severity was done on four-point scale. Calculation of final score was calculated using following formula

Final score= frequency x severity

Laboratory assessment• Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG)

Study Drug

An Ayurvedic classical formulation containing nine drugs was selected for the study. The drugs used in the preparation of the formulation are

» Haritaki» Pippali» Kustha» Haridra» Sariva» Vacha» Jatamansi» Kaidarya» Brahmi

• Formulation was prepared in the form of syrup in order to enhance its palatability and easy administration in children. This formulation was named vayasthadi yoga (V1)

• Dose – 01 ml/kg body weight in two divided doses

• Duration of trial – 02 months

• Follow up- follow up was done every fortnightly during the trial period and after two months of completion of the therapy.

• Placebo – the placebo for the study was also prepared in the form of syrup named as vayasthadi yoga (V2) composed with the combination of sugar and water .

IgG (mg/dl) AT-BT

Group A

No. %

Group B

No. %

<0 00 00 02 20

0-50 02 20 03 30

50-100 06 60 04 40

100-150 00 00 00 00

150-200 00 00 01 10

>200 02 20 00 00

Status of IgG in both the groups after treatment

Statistical status of the overall effect in both the groups (inter-group)

Groups Mean Score

BT AT

Mean %

N SD SE t p

A 9.27 4.18 44.09 12 1.16 0.33 12.48 < 0.001

B 8.68 8.59 1..04 12 0.22 0.06 1.44 .>0.1

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Thank you