A CLINICAL STUDY ON DADIMADYA GHRITA IN CHILDHOOD IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA (PANDU)

Mandeep Kaur*, Keerti Verma and Reena Dixit

ABSTRACT

Ayurveda is India’s ancient science of evoking inner health by aligning with the elements and rhythms of nature. The concept of universal interconnectedness, the body's constitution (prakriti), and life forces (doshas) are the primary basis of ayurvedic medicine. Over the last century, our eating habits have changed dramatically. The way we shop, cook and dine has been altered by our attitudes towards food. This leads to people having exceptionally less nutritional food. Children require the diet that should contain all the essential nutrients as they are in phase of their rapid growth and development. Nutritional disorders results from either deficiency or excess of any nutrients. Most common cause of anemia include nutritional deficiencies particularly- Iron deficiency. WHO shows predominance of 74% of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Indian Children. In Ayurveda, “PANDU ROGA” is the pallor on the skin which occurs due to the quantitative and qualitative deficiency of Rakta Dhatu caused either in the form of deficiency of hemoglobin and/or red blood cells. Considering Panduta (pallor) as the predominant sign, the disease is termed as Pandu Roga. Pandu Roga is characterised by discoloration of skin to sweta, pita and harita or presence of Ketaki dhuli nibha chaya. It is characterised as “Varnopalakshita Roga‖. Nearest correlation of Pandu can be made with Iron deficiency anemia because of predominance of panduta or pallor in the body. Thus, in the present study Iron deficiency anemia (Pandu) has been taken as the subject of intervention with the drug ―Dadimadya Ghrita‖.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Pandu Roga, Varnopalakshita Roga, Iron Deficiency Anemia, Dadimadya Ghrita.