Menopause is a transitional phase marking the finale of the reproductive life of a woman. It is associated with complex changes in both physical and psychological aspects. The changes are chiefly classified as vasomotor, psychological, genital and urinary symptoms. Among these, vasomotor symptoms are hallmark of menopause affecting 75% of women and in this 25% are severely affected..Vasomotor symptoms of menopause are characterized by episodes of profuse hot flushes accompanied by sweating, experienced predominantly around the head, neck, chest and upper back. These symptoms are experienced by majority of women during menopausal transition and they are the most common and long lasting symptoms according to many cohort and cross sectional studies.

Following menopause hot flashes are still pervasive and are experienced by 50% to 85% of menopausal women. Study done in group of women living in Asia, the intensity of vasomotor symptoms was 58% of women surveyed in 2013. Among menopausal symptoms, vasomotor symptoms among women range from 30% to 80% and they are affecting quality of life too.

Contemporary science offers hormone therapy to ease menopausal symptoms. Hormone therapy carries increased risk of endometrial & breast cancer, thromboembolic disorders, biliary diseases, dementia, emotional changes. There is an increased rate of discontinuity of HRT among women. It is therefore necessary to introduce safe and effective medications for the management of the same.

The term for menopause in Ayurveda is “rajo nivruthi”. Ayurvedic literature has very little reference available about rajo nivruthi or menopause. The age of rajonivruthi is said to be around 50 years as per the classics and it is considered as a premonitory sign of jara in women. The vasomotor symptoms clearly indicate the involvement of dominant pitta dosha associated with vata. Hence a drug that pacifies pitta along with vata is considered for this study.

Dahaprashamana gana which has been explained in Charaka Samhitha Sutra sthana, denotes a group of medicinal plants, which has been indicated as useful in removing daha or burning sensation which is a direct manifestation of Pitta. The name is derived from the word daha, meaning burning sensation or internal heat and prashamana which can be translated as ”pacifying”. The gana contains a total ten drugs grouped together viz; laaja, chandana , kashmarya, madhuka, sharkara, nilotpala, usheera, shariba, guduchi and hreebera.