Hyderabad: The Indian Council of Medical Research has allowed the first-of-its-kind randomised clinical trial to test the effectiveness of ayurvedic method Panhchakarma for rehabilitation of stroke patients.
Panchakarma refers to five procedures — detoxification, rejuvenation, massage, herbal and medications — which are used to strengthen the body.
Stroke affects the motor and sensory activities. Modern treatment protocols have medicines which help in revival. There are 1.7 million cases of stroke in India every year, and 42 per cent die in the first 30 days.
In the integration programme, medicines will be used to boost blood supply and increase oxygenation to the brain to rejuvenate the brain cells. External therapies like massage will be used to improve the functioning of the peripheral nervous system, maintain muscle mass and reduce spasm or stiffness in the body.
The clinical trial will be carried out at three major hospitals — AIMS Kochi, Christian Medical College and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences Thiruvananthapuram.
The trial is to test the effectiveness of the therapeutic process and document its impact. ICMR agreed to take it up as the University of California School of Medicine has also carried out a clinical trial with Panchakarma and noted a change in blood based metabolites.
