A clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of Jeevaraksha gulika in the emergency management of Sarpavisha

A clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of Jeevaraksha gulika in the emergency management of Sarpavisha

Dr.Shiju P.S.

2006-2009

Under the guidance of

Dr. S.R. Manju, MD(Ay), D.A.T. &Dr. C. Vijayalakshmi, MD(Ay), D.A.T.

Abstract

In the field of heath care, emergency management involves developing and implementing a set of action designed to alleviate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from an incident that partially or completely disrupts the way of life. Snakebite envenomation is a natural, unintentional emergency that produce thousands of causalities. Lack of knowledge and superstitious believes had made the situation fatal mostly in rural areas, where the incidents were more prevalent. An effective management system and unique treatment protocol in the snakebite cases are still under process in many developing countries.

Kerala has a unique snake bite envenomation management system with a sustained traditional background. Wide varieties of very potent and quick acting herbomineral preparations within the textual references are still in practice. Jeevaraksha Gulika is a herbomineral formulation, composed of 20 drugs mentioned in Prayogasamuchayam - fifth parichedam, kalavanchana prakaranam. Jeevaraksha Gulika is used in the emergency management of snakebite envenomation for the resuscitation of the patient. For the assessment of the efficacy of Jeevaraksha Gulika in the Ayurvedic management of snakebite envenomation, both objective and subjective changes were considered. The study group consists of ten patients treated with signs and symptoms of acute snake bite envenomation. . Jeevaraksha Gulika is administrated along with the milk immediately after the arrival of the patient with the signs and symptom of snakebite envenomation. It is usually administrated within twenty-four hours of envenomation and observations were done for next twenty-four. The change in signs and symptoms within the observation period after the administration of Jeevaraksha Gulika were analyzed and the hypothesis formulated was tested statistically. The effectiveness of the treatment was accessed using paired t test. The statistical significance obtained in managing subjective and objective parameters – pain, bleeding, burning sensation, sweating, heaviness of head, and headache enhance the efficacy of Jeevaraksha Gulika in the resuscitation of the patient, thereby providing a reliable platform for further treatments.

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