Ayurvedic management of Ulcerative Colitis: A Case Study

Abstract

Introduction: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease with remitting and relapsing pattern in which long term or repeated cortico-steroid and biological medicines are only available treatment which have limited effect and carrying many serious adverse effects.^[1] Purpose: Inflammation invariably involves the rectum (proctitis) and may spread proximally to involve sigmoid colon (procto-sigmoiditis) and in some cases, it involves whole colon (pancolitis). The major symptom of ulcerative colitis is blood in stools.^[2] In conventional medicine there is no any treatment which give completely relief or surgical treatment. But in Ayurveda treatment approaches are helpful in such diseases. With the changing demand and awareness among these days, the role of Ayurveda is an emerging reality. Brief case history: A 36-year-old male pharmaceutical manager by occupation at Canada, patient came to the P D Patel Ayurveda Hospital, Nadiad with confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis since 10 years. He has more than 10 times stool frequency in which average 5 frequencies contain blood and mucus. Before he came to us, he took conventional medicine for the same complaints but didn’t get any satisfactory result. He was hospitalized and treated with Basti and oral Ayurvedic medicines for one month period. His stool frequency reduced significantly in a day without bleeding and mucus. After one month of treatment, he is continuing oral medicine at OPD. Now he has one or two frequencies with normal consistency of stool without blood or slime. His haemoglobin level was also increased significantly. Result: He got an excellent result with complete relief from all symptoms as well as marked reduction in objective criteria (lab investigation) within 1 month.