Efficacy of Virechana, Triphaladi decoction with processed Guggulu in the management of ovarian cyst - A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cyst is an emerging problem among the women of reproductive age group. Most of the ovarian cyst (80%–85%) are benign, and two-thirds of these occur in women between 20 and 44 years of age. They may be identified in asymptomatic women during routine pelvic examination or may produce symptoms. Management of the ovarian cyst through surgery is available to meet urgent need of the patient, but to establish a satisfactory conservatory medical treatment is the need of the hour. According to Ayurveda, ovarian cysts can be managed on the line of Kaphaja Granthi (nodular/glandular swellings by Kapha Dosha) and Vidradhi (abscess). AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Virechana (therapeutic purgation), Triphaladi Kashaya (decoction) with processed Guggulu (Commiphora mukul Engl.) in the management of ovarian cyst. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 16 patients were included in this clinical study and among them, 15 patients completed the treatment and one patient was dropped out from the trial. Patients were given Virechana followed by Triphaladi Kashaya (50 ml) with processed Guggulu (1 g) orally twice a day before meal for 60 days. The patients were followed up till 1 month. The assessment was carried out on subjective parameters such as lower abdominal pain, backache, and dysmenorrhea as well as objective parameters such as ovarian cyst size and volume by four-dimensional gray scale and color doppler sonography. Cancer antigen 125 was also assessed before and after treatment. Results were statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Student's t-test by sigma statistical tool (version 3.5, Systat Software Inc., United States). RESULTS: Significant results were observed in subjective parameters such as lower abdominal pain (93.11%), backache (81.81) and dysmenorrhea (90.90%) as well as objective parameters such as reduction in size of the cyst (60%) and complete resolution of the cyst (26.66%). CONCLUSION: Triphaladi Kashaya with processed Guggulu is more effective in hemorrhagic cyst and simple cyst rather than other cyst, due to Shothahara properties which may have effectively curtailed the progress of ovarian cyst.