Efficacy of Panchkarma in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Study

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease of UMN's of corticospinal tract, and the LMN's and is the most devastating of the neurodegenerative disorders. Disease is entirely motor that affects the motor neurons of the cells that control needed voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, skeletal muscle movement, breathing and swallowing while all the sensations, bowel and the bladder remains intact. As the disease progresses, the patient will be paralyzed and eventually dies due to the respiratory arrest. The exact cause and mechanism for its progression is unknown, hence it is difficult to develop an effective treatment for ALS. There is no cure of this disease. A 75 years, male patient, Army retired by occupation came to Panchkarma O.P.D Dept. of Rishikul campus, Haridwar with complaints of weakness in B/L upper and lower limbs more in lower having difficulty in buttoning clothes, opening cap of pen, difficulty in walking, reduced gripping of both hands and mild slurred speech since 8-9mnths. Patient had undergone various Panchkarma procedures. During and after it he got mild relief in symptoms of weakness of upper limbs, improvement in gripping and speech. Panchkarma presents a unique approach of ayurveda with specially designed five procedures of internal purification of the body through the nearest possible route namely. Present case study deals with the case of ALS and its ayurvedic diagnosis and management through one of the procedure known as Vasti (a medicated enema therapy) and Nasya (medicate errhine therapy). As there was no clarity regarding Ayurvedic aspect of MND/ALS, a major diagnostic and management dilemma exists while approaching the case of MND. In Ayurveda, there is difficulty in diagnosis and we consider it like Sarvanga Vata, Avrit Vata and Sama Vata.