NEED FOR STUDY

Swasthasya Swasthyarakshanam, Aturasya Vikaraprashamanam, is the main aim of Ayurveda which describe the importance of maintaining and promoting the health in addition to treating illness.

Diseases are destroyers of health and well being, which is infectious, communicable and health deteriorating are explained in Ayurveda.

Rajayakshma is one of them which is considered aupsargika vyadhi (communicable disease) and also is asadhya as it is associated with loss of strength and muscle wasting due to kshaya.

Sahasa, vega sandarana, kshaya, vishamashana, are the four causes of rajayakshma and shows its symptoms like pinasa, shwasa, kasa, aruchi, vitsamsrana, chardi all leads to kshaya or shosha of the body.

Rajayakshma can be correlated with pulmonary tuberculosis in modern science, in which the rasadi dhatus gets diminished, leading to decreased strength and activity levels, it is also known as rogarat, the king of diseases, governing all other illnesses.

In 2023, incidence of TB increased slightly to 27.8 lakh from the previous year’s estimation of 27.4 lakh.

The disease itself and DOTS treatment can diminish the physical health of the patient and is a challenging task for the physician to revive undernourished health into normalcy and also to prevent the recurrency of the infection due to impaired immunity. Even the government provides monthly support of Rs.500 to nearly 1crore beneficiaries for undernourished TB patients estimated 7.44 lakh as reported in 2022.

In Ayurveda, to treat the undernourishment in PTB infected person, numerous methods and medications has been indicated. One such formulation explained in bhaishajya ratnavali is draksharishta as balya.

Hence, this is a trial taken to see the effect of draksharishta in treated cases of PTB to improve and promote the physical health status particularly focusing on weight and physical attributes.