A CLINICAL TRIAL TO EVALUATE THE COMBINED EFFICACY OF SARASWATHA CHURNA  AND THUNGADRUMADI TAILA IN MANAGING MIXED DEPRESSIVE AND ANXIETY DISORDER

Mental health is a crucial part of overall well-being, beyond just the absence of mental illnesses. It is essential for both individual happiness and optimal functioning. Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental health issues on a global scale. Mixed Depressive and Anxiety Disorder (MDAD) is a condition characterized by the presence of both anxiety and depression symptoms, occurring for at least two weeks on most days and these symptoms do not individually meet the diagnostic criteria for a distinct anxiety or depressive disorder.

MDAD can be corelated to Vishada in Ayurveda. Vishada is one among the Nanatmaja Vatavyadhis mentioned in Charaka Samhitha and may appear at any stage of life in a person. It affects a person with Avara Satva and Tamasika Guna. Even though Vishada is a psychological disorder mentioned in Ayurvedic texts, its detailed description is unclear, making diagnosis challenging. Many Ayurvedic researches have attempted to compare it with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Depression, but a concrete conclusion has been elusive. This study, tries to assess Ayurvedic and related literature alongside modern Psychology to determine the alignment between Vishada’s presentation and MDAD in terms of both psychological and somatic aspects.

This is a proposed interventional study with pre and post-test without control group. Subjects of both gender in the age group 18 to 40 years registered in the OPD of Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College and Post Graduate Centre Hospital, Kattakada, satisfying the inclusion criteria will be subjected to positive sampling and subjects will be selected for the study. Subjects will be enrolled into the study after necessary investigations from a recognized Standard laboratory and after assessment with HAM-A, HDRS, WHOQOL and SSEIT questionnaires. Dose and dosage regimens are fixed according to Ayurvedic classics.

In this study, Saraswatha Churna in a dosage of 6g with honey and ghee will be administered to the 26 subjects, orally twice daily before food, along with Thungadrumadi Taila as Murdhni Taila for 30 days. Saraswatha Churna serves as a cognitive enhancer with anxiolytic properties, improving memory while also possessing carminative attributes. Thungadrumadi Taila, on the other hand, is applied as a Tarpana treatment for the brain (Kapalamajja), a vital intervention along the Madhyama Roga Marga that addresses conditions with potential recurrence. Assessment will be done on 0^th day, 16^th day, 31^st day and 46^th day by using subjective and objective parameters. The results will be analyzed statistically and conclusion will be drawn.