Sc Tiwari

MANAGEMENT OF LOW BACKACHE DUE TO PIVD THROUGH PANCHAKARMA: A CASE STUDY

Back pain is an affliction that affects a substantial proportion of entire population, at least at some point in their life. About 80% of population suffer from low backache and it is medically and economically devastating and is the major cause for disability. Patient’s main complaint was severe low backache radiating to right leg, stiffness in back due to which he was unable to sit and walk. On physical examination, the straight leg raising (SLR) test was 30° on right leg and 45° on left leg, Lasegue Test, Bowstring Test and Femoral Stretch Test was positive in B/L lower limbs. Patient was diagnosed as Prolapsed inter-vertebral disc (PIVD) which can be correlated to Kativata (low backache) which comes under Vatavyadhi in Ayurveda. Panchakarma therapies like Ruksha Pottali sweda (dry bolus fomentation), Patra Pottali sweda (bolus fomentation), Abhyanga (massage), Swedana (sudation), Vasti (therapeutic enema), Kati vasti (procedure where specified medicated oil is retained for a stipulated period in kati region) etc. along with vata shamak drugs were given orally to the patient and found to be very effective. Panchakarma procedures along with Shaman therapy (oral medicines) as per Ayurveda act on vata dosha which is responsible for Kativata. The General condition of patient becomes better than previously. So this case shows the efficacy of Ayurveda specially Panchakarma in low backache with good follow up results and without any adverse effects.

Evaluation of Plant Bio-Regulators (PBR’s) application on the fruit and seed yield of Jatropha curcas: A bio-fuel plant

Jatropha curcas is a drought tolerant, oil seed bearing shrub of family Euphorbiaceae, widely distributed in Central and South America, Africa, India and south East Asia.1,2 It is found growing in tropics and subtropics.3–5 Jatropha is a monoecious plant and flowers are unisexual, occasionally hermaphrodite flower also occur.5 There is a huge variation in seed yield of this plant (Figure 1). It varies from 0.1 to15 tonnes/ha/year.7 Different researchers have reported different amount of oil content ranging from 24% to 60 %.8–13 Low yield is the main constraint in successful utilization of this oil yielding plant as biodiesel feedstock.